Unsure Reality

Not a Supernatural Story, but James and Jerome are sort of based off of Jared and Jensen

Darci walked up to the door. It was already opened. “Rose? You home?” She called through the front door. She closed it behind her as she wandered through the house. Darci dumped her stuff on the kitchen counter. She cussed under her breath as she fumbled for her phone. She called Rose but is sent straight to voice mail. “Goddammit Rose! How many times do I have to tell you to lock the freaking door when you leave?” she yelled into the phone and hung it up. Darci slammed her phone on the counter and wandered upstairs. She has been up and down these stairs for just over 6 months now living with her best friend from high school. When she got into her room, Darci grabbed the hem of her black tank top and pulls it over her head. She tosses the tank top toward her closet door not realizing it was opened a crack. He was watching her as she pulled off her black dress pants and layed them on her bed. She was wearing a black lace underwear set, which turned him on. When she turned her back to him, he quietly pushed open the closet door and stealthily snuck out of her room. He began to go down the stairs when the front door opened. He quickly raced back up the stairs and hid in the other girl's room. “Hey Darci! I'm home!” The front door closed and she wanders upstairs. He heard her dainty footsteps as she came closer to her room. He glances around the room he had never been in and spotted a door. He opened it not realizing it was to a bathroom. In it was Darci. The door was connected with Darci's room. She let out a bloodcurdling scream as she grabbed the closest towel holding it to her body. He rushed towards her and held her mouth shut. “Be quiet or I will strangle you.” he whisperd in her ear. “Darci? You okay!?” Rose rushed to the door and began to open it, but he pushed against it. “Tell her it was just a spider and you're fine.” He said, placing a long silver knife to Darci's throat. He slowly removed his hand from her mouth and put pressure on the knife. “I'm fine. Sorry for the scare. There was a huge spider...” She trailed off. “Oh you scared me! Okay. Sorry about the door. Hey I'm off to the grocery store. Want anything?” Rose asked. “Um, no. Just a funkytown CD.” Darci replied. Rose stopped dead in her tracks. Funkytown was a keyword between them that meant there was someone holding them hostage. With a shaky voice, Rose said, “Okay, I'll be back ASAP” and races outside. She almost tumbles down the stairs because she was so freaked out.

When Rose got into her car, she dialed 911, but they put her on hold. She threw her phone down in disgust and frantically drove to the closest police station. She rushed into the police station and ran to the closest person. “I need you to take a deep breath and tell me what is wrong.” The lady sitting at the desk said. Rose took a deep breath and let it out. “There is someone in my house holding my roommate against her will. You need to save her now!” Rose screamed. The lady says something in a walky-talky and two policemen come racing around the corner. “Where do you live?” They ask simultaneously. Rose tells them the address and they raced off. She begins to follow them when a hand is placed on her shoulder. “Miss, I have to ask you to stay here. Explain everything to me.” The guy said, slowly guiding her to another room. She glanced behind her shoulder and sees two police cruisers take off in the direction she had just came. Sirens were blaring and lights were flashing. She hoped and prayed that Darci was alright. The policeman sat her down in a small room with mirrors surrounding her. “Now, calmly explain to me what happened.” The man asked her. She looked into his emerald green eyes and her heart fluttered in her chest. Her throat felt dry and she quietly asked, “Can I please have some water?” to which he responded, “Right away.” And got up. When he came back, she noticed how ripped he was. His biceps made his uniform seem too small, but it looked good. His belt dangled off his waist like it was scared to touch him. His jaw was set and perfectly cut. He was well shaven and he just made her nervous. Guys never made her nervous, what is going on with her? This was probably a side effect of shock. She cleared her throat. “I came home and when I went upstairs I heard the shower running. Then I heard my roommate scream and race to the door. I went to open the door, but it was forced shut. After a few seconds, my friend said that it was just a spider. She sounded so scared. Then I asked her if she wanted anything from the grocery store and she gave me the code word we have if someone holds us against our will.” The words rushed out of Rose as if she didn't say them fast enough, Darci would pay.

When Rose had run out, the guy loosened his grip. Darci began to struggle, but he pulled her closer. Well, he might as well have his fun while he was here. “Towel. Lose it.” He spits out. Did Darci dare to look at him through the mirror? She looked up and met his eyes. They were beady and evil looking. She recognized him from a newspaper picture. He was wanted for the rape and murder of five girls throughout the state. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she remembered that. He turned her around to face him and yanked the towel off. She let out a small scream, but the look he gave her shut her up. He began to undo his pants which meant he let her go. She pressed herself against the door with her hand behind her back, feeling for the doorknob. “You even think about escaping, I will slit your throat faster than you could scream.” He growled at her. His pants fell to the ground and he kicked them from his feet. He would have been attractive if he lost a few pounds and shaved off his beard Darci thought. She tried to cover herself up, but he grabbed her hands. He held them above her head and forced his knee between her legs to spread them apart. When she began to struggle, he threw her on the ground and climbed on top of her. “Please, don't do this. Leave me alone!” Darci cried. He laughed, loud and menacingly making Darci's blood run cold. Just as she felt his tip at her opening, the door was kicked open. He was yanked off her and thrown on the ground. There were two police officers on him, arresting him. Darci lay there, feeling gross and violated. Another police officer was at her side and wrapped her with a towel. She was still in shock and could not move. The officer picked her up and and held her in his arms. She turned her head to his chest and clung to him like her life depended on it. She wanted to cry, but the tears would not come. He held her close to him and took her to his police cruiser and gently sat her in the front seat. “We are going to the station. I have to drive, so I'll have to ask you to let me go.” He said gently. Darci reluctantly let him go as he buckled her into the seat. Then he quickly walked around the front and got into the driver's seat. As they were driving, Darci snuck a glance at him. He was tall, had huge muscles, shoulder length light brown hair and sea-green eyes. He caught her looking at him and smiled in her direction. Darci quickly looked straight ahead, blood rushing to her cheeks. She felt her face grow hot as she realized she was only wrapped in a towel. They got to the police station and he came around to get her out. “I-I think I can walk.” Darci stammered. He stepped back, but she grabbed his arm as she sees other policemen getting the creep out of their cruiser. She was shaking like a leaf, but happy he got what was coming. Darci and the policeman walked into the police station and into a small room. In it, Darci saw Rose.

“Darci! You're okay!” Rose exclaimed as she jumped up from the table. She rushed towards her best friend and embraced her in a tight hug. Darci returned the hug, but with only one hand seeing as she had to hold up the towel. “Hey, you must be the Roommate. I'm officer Palmer.” The policeman that saved Darci said, holding his hand out to Rose. She looked confused for a minute, then grabbed his hand and asks, “Are you the one who saved my best friend?” The policemen shared a look and smiled at one another. “Yes, I am. Now Darci. If you don't mind, Jerome here will ask you a few questions about what happened. Be sure to tell it exactly as it happened so you can file charges if that is what you wish.” Darci tentatively sat down, but when she noticed him turn to walk out, she jumped to her feet. “You're not leaving are you?” She asked, fear creeping up on her. He could sense the fear in her voice. Jerome looked at him and said “James, maybe you should stay.” James looked at his watch. He was supposed to be off duty, but he only had a dog to go home to. He decided to sit down next to Jerome and motioned to Darci to sit also. She cautiously sat down, not taking her eyes from James. “Darci, could you explain to me what happened?” Jerome asked in a gentle voice. Darci told them everything, not leaving a single detail out. “Son of bitch.” Jerome exclaimed when Darci had finished. He clapped James on the shoulder. “You got there just in time, partner.” James stared at Darci. She looked abnormally calm for someone who almost got raped. “Why are you so calm?” James asked her. Darci squirmed uncomfortably in her seat and looked at Rose who was playing with her fingers nervously. Darci took a deep breath and looked at James straight in the eyes. “My step-father used to abuse and rape me all the time. I ran away and lived with Rose's family until about 6 months ago when we moved into that condo.” The officers looked at Darci in disbelief. She looked away, tears falling down her cheeks. Just as James was about to say something, another officer came in the room. “Hey boys, the house is safe to go home if the ladies wish. There will be police guards watching them for a couple days to make sure nobody else is working with that creep.” The chubby officer then wobbled out the door. Jerome looked at the girls who were obviously shaken. “We can drive you guys home if you'd like?” He offered. Darci noticed Rose's eyes light up. She looked at Darci with a questioning look. Darci nodded and stood up. The two officers escorted the two shaken girls out the door and into the parking lot.

As they approached the condo, several police cruisers could be spotted. James and Darci rode in his cruiser as Jerome and Rose rode in Rose's car. They got to the condo and policemen escorted the ladies up the stairs. When they reached the door, Rose unlocked it. She shook while pushing it open and took a cautious step inside. Darci followed closely, not wanting anything to happen to her best friend. The policemen follow inside and slowly shut the door behind them. “Would you mind if we searched the house?” Jerome asked. Both girls shook their heads. Darci grabbed her purple robe that was hanging on her closet and put it on. She had not realized before that her arm had been cut. She looked at the towel and saw bloodstains on it from where it had laid on her neck. She threw the towel into the laundry room and went to the kitchen where she found Rose crying. Immediately Darci rushed to her side and held her close. “I'm so sorry. I should not have left the door open. This never would have happened. You could have died and it would have been my fault.” She choked out within sobs. Darci hugged her tight and assured her it was not her fault. They were on the ground, Rose in Darci's lap. “I understand how scared you are, but we are both okay. Nobody got hurt.” Darci assured her. James came down the stairs first and didn't see either girl. He told himself not to panic as he quickly walked into the kitchen. He saw Rose with her head buried in Darci's chest and Darci's arms wrapped around her. He smiled in spite of himself. Jerome came up behind him, making him jump. Darci looked up quickly but when she saw who it was, relief washed over her. “Um, thank you both so much. It is really appreciated.” Darci said. James could tell that the smile she gave was forced. Jerome looked at James and motioned to the door with his head. James walked up to Darci and Rose and held out something small and white. “This is my number. Also, in case of an emergency, here is Jerome's. If anything happens or you just need somebody to talk to, I'm your man.” Darci took the paper, shock in her eyes. James turned and with Jerome on his heels, walked to the cruiser.

Jerome and James walk in the door to their house. James' Australian Shepherd, Riot, came racing around the corner and jumped into James's arms. “Damn, today sure was difficult.” Jerome says, lazily falling on the couch. James gently put Riot down and pulled his shirt off. He looked in the mirror and saw the black circles forming under his sea-green eyes, making them look duller than usual. He yanked on some jeans and clipped Riot's leash on him. “I'm going for a run.” He called to Jerome. All he sees is Jerome waving his hand while watching TV. James rolled his eyes as he walked out the door. He began to jog mindlessly, following Riot. When Riot stopped at a condo to do his business, James realized that he did not have any doggie bags. He let out a groan and looked up to see that he was at Darci and Rose's condo. His heart fluttered at the thought of seeing Darci again. He has only felt that way about one girl before and she was gone. The memory of Sarah came back to him like it was yesterday. She was tall, black hair that cascaded down her back, bright blue eyes that looked like crystals. The last time he saw those eyes, they were glazed over and unblinking. She had slipped through his fingers. He shook his head, trying to forget the memory. It wasn't his fault, he reminded himself. He took a deep breath and walked up to the door. He stood on their doorstep hesitantly. James looked at Riot and knocked on the door. “You did this on purpose!” He whispered at the dog. Riot wagged his stub of a tail and seemed to be smiling at his owner. Darci opened the door a crack, but she was staring at rock hard abs. James cleared his voice, making Darci look up. She blinked in surprise and opened the door more. She was in a dark purple tank top and matching booty shorts. She stepped outside quietly shutting the door behind her. “Rose is asleep. What are you doing here?” She asked him, folding her arms across her chest. James looked at Riot and shrugged. “I uh... I forgot umm. Doggie bags.” He said, feeling his face go hot. She smiled at him and crouched down to rub the Dog's ears. “I'll be right back.” She went inside and grabbed the bags. When she turned around she ran into Rose. “What are you doing?” She asked, her eyes looking at Darci suspiciously. Darci shrugged. “Um... doggie bag? I'll explain later?” She says, questioningly. Rose smiled at her and climbed up the stairs. “Well, I'll be in bed. Love ya girly.” Rose said and began to climb the stairs. Darci walked out the door and smiled at James. “So this is the only reason you're here?” She asked him, hope in her voice. He nodded and walked over to Riot's mess. He tossed it in the trash can that was conveniently right next to him. Darci caught his eye as she smiled nervously to the ground. He wanted to memorize her. The way she tried to keep her hair behind her, but it always flowed over her shoulders, her hazel eyes that she surrounded with eyeliner, the way she smiled when he was around her. James took a deep breath. “Want to maybe get coffee sometime?” He asked her, shocking himself. She looked up at him with a giant smile on her face. “I'd love to!” She exclaims, jumping into his arms. He hugged her awkwardly, and she took a step back. “Sorry, um. Yeah, I gotta go.” She shoved two more bags in his hands and walks away. Darci leaned against the door and with a sigh, she locked the door and headed upstairs.

James walked into his house unable to catch his breath. Sweat was dripping down his body making it glisten in the light of the kitchen. Jerome was still laying on the couch when James walked in. Riot raced into the kitchen and started to slop water in his mouth. Jerome was sprawled all over the couch passed out. James decided to try and scare him so he smacked Jerome's shoe to wake him up. Jerome sat up startled and fell off the couch. James doubled over laughing his ass off seeing as his buddy got stuck between the couch and the coffee table . “Dude! Totally not cool!” Jerome shouted, trying to get off the ground. Watching him struggle made James laugh even harder. “Dude, help me up!” Jerome cried. James offered his buddy a hand and pulled him to his feet. Jerome wiped off his pants and shut the TV off angrily. “Dude, you're a jackass.” James had his hands on his knees and was trying to catch his breath when he responded, “No dude, you're an idiot!” Jerome playfully pushed James and headed to his room. James breathed in heavily and stood up straight. Riot wandered over to him, water all over his head. “What did you do, buddy? Stick your head in it?” James asked his dog as he grabbed a towel. He rubbed Riot dry as possible and locked the door. James then decided to take a shower and get rid the grimey feeling he had. “Let's go boy!” He called to Riot and jogged up the stairs. Once in his room, he shut his door and stripped off his clothes. James walked into his own personal bathroom and climbed in the shower. He felt the water hit his body, taking all the grime with it down the drain. As he stood there, he imagined how great it would be if he had Darci in there with him. He imagined her kissing him passionately, pressing her body against his. He imagined her hands entangled in his hair and his hands pressed on her back. He shook his head to rid the thoughts that were provoking his erection and rubbed soap to clean himself the rest of the way. After the shower, he got into clean boxers and cuddled with Riot until they were both fast asleep.

“You're still asleep? Darce, don't you have that job interview in an hour?” Rose called through Darci's doorway. Darci sat straight up in bed and look at the time. “Shit! My alarm didn’t go off!” She jumped out of bed and stripped herself while on her way to her bathroom. “Yeah, you're welcome!” Rose called behind her. Darci jumped in the shower and quickly washed her hair. She got out and put a towel on her head while she pulled on purple lacy underwear and pulled her dress pants over. She then looked for her matching purple lace bra and threw on a white undershirt. Darci raced back into the bathroom and lined her eyes with black eyeliner, making her hazel eyes look greener than brown. While quickly brushing on mascara, Darci began to blow-dried her hair. Realizing she didn't have the time, she twisted her hair into a bun on her head and quickly walked out the bedroom door and raced down the stairs. “Darce, you're forgetting your shirt.” Rose called, casually eating a bowl of cereal while reading a magazine at the kitchen counter. Darci looked down and groaned then quickly raced back upstairs. She grabbed a white button up and threw it on. When she is downstairs once again, Rose tossed her the keys and her purse and she raced outside to her car. She got to the interview at the Vet office with 5 minutes to spare. She quickly grabbed her purse from the passenger seat, tucked in her shirt, and calmly walked inside. “Darci?” The girl at the reception desk asked. Darci nodded and the receptionist waved her in. She took her to a small white room where an old man is waiting. The receptionist hurried away as Darci cautiously took a seat. “Let's get started, shall we?” The old man asked, pulling out pen and paper.

Jerome awoke to Riot whining and scratching at his door. He groaned and pulled the pillow over his head shouting, “Go away Riot!” The dog however kept whining and scratching at the door forcing Jerome to get up. He yanked open his door and rolled his eyes as Riot raced to the backdoor to be let out to do his business. Jerome mumbled profanities under his breath as he grumpily stalked to the door. “Can't James ever let you out in the morning?” Jerome mumbled letting the dog outside. He ran his hand through his messy brown hair and sighed heavily. Jerome felt unusually grimey as he wiped sweat from his face. He then went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face and blearily looked at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. With another deep sigh, Jerome went back into his room and looked at his clock. “Shit! I'm late!” He exclaimed and hurried to pull on his uniform. After yanking on pants, Jerome rushed to the door to let Riot in.“Riot, c'mon boy!” Jerome called to the dog. Riot's ears went up and he looked at Jerome with a cocked head. He then went racing toward Jerome and knocked him onto the ground. Riot sloppily began to cover Jerome's face in kisses the minute he hit the ground. “Get off me!” He exclaimed, pushing the dog to the ground. When he got back to his feet, Jerome shut the door and locked it. He then pulled on his police uniform shirt on over his head and hurried out the front door. He quickly locked the door and raced to his cruiser. When he got to the station, James was nowhere to be seen. Jerome went to his office and saw a note on his computer from James. He sat in his chair as he ripped the note from the screen and read it.

Dear Jerome,

You looked so peaceful sleeping in. I went to see if your alarm was set, but it was not. I decided to let you sleep seeing as it is your birthday today. Hope you're not mad. Happy birthday bro!

James

“Jerome! You're late, again!” His boss called. Jerome crumpled James' note and threw it in the trash. “I'm so sorry, my alarm didn't go off and-” his boss cut him off. “I do not want to hear excuses Jerome. Everyone is in the meeting in the boardroom. Be there ASAP.” And with that, his boss left. Jerome groaned and pushed away from the desk. He got up and grumbled the whole way to the meeting. When he walked into the room, everyone jumped up and shouted “Surprise!”

After Darci left, Rose finished her cereal and put the magazine into the recycle bin. She put her iPod on Darci's speakers and blasted Somebody's Heartbreak by Hunter Hayes. She danced barefoot around the kitchen, singing along with the song and starring in her own little show. She was going through her phone when she saw Jerome's number. Without thinking it through, she pressed the call button. She nervously paced around the kitchen hoping that he answered, but simultaneously hoping he didn't. After six rings she was sent to voice mail. “He's probably busy.” Rose told herself aloud and shrugged off the disappointed feeling. She decided to busy herself around the house until it was time for her to leave for school. Rose is in her third year of college majoring in Literature. She went into the bathroom and tried a many different hairstyles. Being unsatisfied with every style she tried, she brushed it out and left it down. She mindlessly wandered around the kitchen when she was startled by the sound of her alarm. Rose threw her phone in her purse and grabbed her books that were on the counter. Rose then heads out the door humming Hunter Hayes. She remembered to lock the door this time, telling herself she could never forget again. Rose hurries to her car only to find that the windows were busted out and that all four tires had been slashed. With angry tears in her eyes, Rose again called Jerome.

“Thank you very much. We will be in contact.” The old man told Darci while holding out his hand. She gracefully took it and strongly shook it. The old man smiled at her and walked her the lobby. Darci thanked the receptionist on her way out, friendly smiling. She stopped to pet a puppy who seemed scared then quickly got in her car. She locked the doors while she looked for her keys. She had to paw through to the bottom of her purse until she found them When she finally did, she hurried home. When she walked through the door, Rose was in the kitchen on the phone with someone. She sounded angry and upset and began pacing, which was a clear sign that she was upset. When she saw Darci, a sad smile appeared on her face. Darci noticed that Rose's face was stained in tears, but as she approached her roommate to figure out what happened, Rose held up a finger telling her to back off for a minute. Darci held up her hands and backed off. Rose sent an apologetic smile her way and Darci just rolled her eyes and smiled. She pointed up meaning she was headed upstairs. Rose nodded acknowledging that she knew what Darci meant. Darci then grabbed her purse from the couch and jogged up the stairs. When she got to her room she took out the hair-tie and shook her hair loose. Running her fingers through it, she headed into the bathroom and turned on her straightener. Meanwhile she was humming a random tune. She took off her white shirt, but left the undershirt on. She began to rummage through her drawers when she found what she was looking for; a pair of shorts. Using the wall for balance, Darci took off her current dress pants and pulled the shorts on. She then walked into the bathroom and began to straighten her hair. When she was halfway done, Rose wandered up. “Hey, sorry about that.” She apologized to Darci. Darci just smiled and asked “What was that about?” Rose explained to her about the whole car thing and shrugged her shoulders. “On the bright side, we get to see those attractive policemen again!” Rose said, playfully bumping Darci with her shoulder. Darci blushed and went to finish her hair. “I saw that!” Exclaimed Rose as she jumped up to follow Darci into the bathroom. “Saw what?” Darci asked, hiding her face with her hair. “That!” Rose said, pushing Darci's hair from her face. “You like that policeman don't you?” Asked Rose, jumping up and down like a twelve year old. Darci gave her an “Is it that obvious” look. Rose smiled and squeaked with joy. She washed her face in the sink next to Darci and went into her room to change into a cute outfit.

When their boss left, James and his coworkers crouched behind random furniture around the room and turned the lights off. The boss walked in through the door, more like waddled, and gave them all a thumbs up meaning that Jerome was on his way. A few minutes later, Jerome stalked in mumbling under his breath. “Surprise!” Everyone jumped up and yelled, scaring Jerome. “Shit!” He jumped back, clutching his hand to his chest. James busted up laughing and exclaimed, “I got that on camera!” Jerome then ran over and jumped on his buddy and they wrestled for a good five minutes. Jerome still did not get the camera from James. After celebrating and thanking everyone for coming, Jerome got a call on his phone. He glanced at the unknown number and ignored it. If it was important then they could leave a message and he'd get back to them. “I cannot believe you James!” Jerome exclaimed, pulling his buddy under his arm with a huge smile on his face. After struggling to get away from the hold, James finally ending up tripping Jerome and wrestling again. Smiling and laughing, the guys helped one another to their feet and went to where the cake was sitting. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Jerome and he blew his candles out without James smashing his face in it, although he did try. Again, the strange number called Jerome. He stepped away from the noise of the party to answer the call. “Hello?” He hears a girl's voice on the other end, trying to choke back sobs. “Who is this?” He asked, worry filling his voice. “It's Rose. From the other night.” Rose? Jerome got a huge smile on his face until he remembered that she was crying. “What happened? Are you okay?” He asked her, quickly walking to his car. “Jerome!? Where are you going bud?” James called out the door. Jerome angrily waved his hand at James to shut up as he listened to Rose on the other line. “I'll be right there. Go back to your house and lock the door.” He hangs up and rushes out the door. James was right behind him, hand on his shoulder. “Dude, what's going on?” He asked concern filling his voice. “Rose's car has been vandalized.” Jerome stated, getting into his car. James jumped into the passenger seat of Jerome's cruiser and they headed straight for the girls' condo.

Darci walked out of her room and into the kitchen. She decided to prep for dinner, so she got out everything she needed for stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon. After a few minutes, there was a hard knock on the door. Darci was in the middle of chopping up garlic so she called to Rose. “Rosey, can you get the door? I'm a little busy.” Rose jogged down the stairs and opened the front door. Standing there were James and Jerome, both looking concerned. Rose motioned for them to come inside, then when to the kitchen to get her keys. James followed Rose and saw Darci with an apron on and her hands all messy. She didn't realize that James would see her, she just figured that he and Jerome would follow Rose straight to her car. “Ahem.” James coughed, making Darci jump. She quickly turned around and came face to face with her newest fantasy. Her face turned bright red and she took a step back. “Hi.” She quickly whispered. “Hi.” He replied, a smile growing on his face. “James, I'm going to accompany Rose to her car. You gonna stay here?” Jerome called through the living room. “Yeah.” James replied, taking a seat behind the counter. “What are you making?” James asked, watching Darci move around the kitchen. “Um, it's a stuffed chicken wrapped in bacon... For um... Dinner.” Darci stammered, trying to focus on what she was doing. It was difficult seeing as his very presence was turning her on. “That sounds great.” James said, leaning back in his chair. He was trying to play it cool, but was nervous. Being around her made his heart beat faster then ever. “It is.” She said, flashing a smile towards him as she put the chicken in the oven. “Isn't it a little early to be making dinner?” James asked Darci. She smiled and rolled her eyes as she washed her hands. “Um, it's 2 in the afternoon. This is all just prep. I still need to make the potato skins.” She sighed and took a seat next to him. It was hard to believe they had only met about a week ago. “Hey, so uh.. Still on to get that coffee?” James asked, running his hand through his hair. She blushed and looked down at her hands. She nodded her head, “Yeah, as long as you're paying.” She replied, playfully pushing his shoulder. She looked at him straight in the eyes. His sea-green eyes seemed to stare into her soul, but she liked it. His smile could brighten up the room. James slowly reached up to her face and brushed a hair that was dangling in her face behind her ear, meanwhile brushing her cheek. His touch was like a cool fire, burning her skin, yet chilling it at the same time. She pressed her face to his hand that he opened, holding her face in his hand. James reached up with his other hand and cupped her face. “You are so beautiful” he whispered, making her blush even more. Slowly he leaned forward, unsure at first. Just as their lips met, fireworks exploded throughout Darci's body. They started at her lips, spreading the amazing warmth through her face, down to throughout her chest. James pulled her closer to him, both now standing. They both pulled away at the same time to catch their breath. “That was... Great!” Darci exclaimed through breaths. “I couldn't agree more.” James said with a smile.

Rose led Jerome to her car, smiling in spite of the situation. “So, when did you find your car like this?” Jerome asked Rose, taking out a pad and a pen. “Around 12:30, one o'clock. I came out to go to school and I just found it like this. I called you immediately.” She responded. Jerome just nodded and wrote in his little pad. He asked her more questions, but she just went on autopilot with answering them. Rose sighed, thinking how useless this was. He probably saw millions of girls everyday, most likely much prettier then her. A single tear ran down her cheek as she felt a sinking in her chest. Jerome noticed and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, I'm sure your insurance will pay for it.” He assure her. She just wiped the tear and laughed. He didn't get it. Jerome gave her a confused look and she shrugged off his hand. With another sigh, she let her hand trail along her wrecked car and walked away. “Hey, where are you going?” Jerome called after her. She just shrugged and kept walking, ignoring the pain from the cut on her hand from the glass. As her hand came to rest on her thigh, she felt Jerome turn her around to face him. “Hey, what's wrong? This can't be about the car.” Rose shrugged, trying not to focus on how close he was to her. Just a few more inches and she would be kissing him. Instead of stepping back, she shrugged again and focused on the blood running down her hand and through her fingers. Another tear escaped her eye and Jerome gently wiped it away. “Please stop crying.” He asked her, moving closer. Rose held her breath as he pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. Without thinking, she kissed him. He didn't respond immediately, so she pulled away. “I'm sorry, I-” He cut her off pulling her face to his. The world seem to disappear, leaving them alone together. Rose felt as if she was floating in midair, happiness spreading throughout her whole body. They both felt that nothing else mattered as they shared this kiss. When they both finally pulled away they both exclaimed at the same time, “Whoa.” Jerome's forehead was against Rose's and he was staring into her eyes. She smiled and kissed him, again feeling like the only two people in the world. After catching their breath after the second kiss, they decided to head back to the condo.

He sat in jail, plotting his revenge. He knew he wanted to get back at those girls for landing him here in this awful place. He thought about what he will do when he gets out and how he will escape. When he does, he will murder them both, he decided. But how? That was the question. He laid on his back while he thought up ways that would make them suffer like how he made all the others. He would make them scream and beg for mercy. He remembered his first victim, his own wife. She begged him to stop, just as Darci had. He remembered it, he had his wife pinned on the ground in her own blood, him on top of her. That little bitch cheated on him and she got what was coming. He had stabbed her in the abdomen with a kitchen knife, then raped her on the floor of the kitchen where she was laying in a pool of her own blood. He remembered how she begged him not to do it, but he did it anyway. When he was through with her, he took the butcher knife on the counter and plunged it into her chest. He laughed as he watched her blood seep out and her breathing slowed. She was after all, his very first victim. After the first, he couldn't stop. He thought back to that night when he almost had what he had been waiting for since they moved into that condo. The blonde girl, she must have known somehow. He remembered the fear in Darci's hazel eyes when he walked into the bathroom. He thought about how she had grabbed her towel, thinking it would save her. When he got her on the ground, he thought about how great it would have been to feel her squirm and scream in agony. He couldn't wait to see the light go out in her eyes when he finally killed her. I've got it! He thought to himself. He knew what he is going to do to them when he got out. Nobody will be able to stop him from getting what he wants, that much he was sure of.

Darci had just walked to the sink to get out the potatoes. As she started to cut them in half, Jerome and Rose walked in through the door. James glanced up and asked “So, how bad is it?” Jerome looked up slightly and sighed. “Real bad, man.” James thought he was talking about the car, but he was actually talking about how he had fallen for Rose. “We better run to the station then.” James said and stood up. He looked back at Darci who smiled at him. “Come on over after work for dinner.” She then looked at Jerome. “You too.” Jerome glanced at Rose who was smiling and leaning on the wall. “Sure thing.” Jerome said and headed out the door. While in the cruiser, James sighed happily. “What's that about?” Jerome asked, glancing at his partner sideways. James shrugged and smiled from ear to ear. “Just in a good mood I guess.” He replied. “Hey man, I wanna tell you something.” Jerome said, pulling into the police station. James looked at Jerome who was running his hands through his short brown hair. “You can tell me anything, you know that.” James replied, getting worried. Jerome smiled at his friend of almost ten years. “I think I'm falling for Rose.” He stated. James started laughing, making Jerome angry. “Dude, what the hell?” He exclaimed. James immediately stopped laughing and looked at Jerome with a serious face. “I'm laughing because I think I've fallen for Darci.” The policemen sat in their car for five minutes laughing at this random coincidence. When they finally caught their breath, they both wandered inside. Their boss was not happy with them. It took an hour before he finally believed them when they told him where they were and why. Jerome turned in the report Rose made on her car and headed to his office. “James, next time you're cleaning the mess of the party up.” His boss exclaimed while he walked out the door. James took a deep breath and headed to his office to do paperwork. Both James and Jerome could not wait until work was over to see their new found loves.

After the guys left, Rose ran to Darci, making her jump. “We kissed!” She exclaimed and squealed with happiness. Darci smiled with her best friend and did their “Happy Dance.” Rose sat down and sighed happily. “Life is finally getting better.” She grabbed an apple from the counter and took a big bite. Darci leaned over the counter with a huge smile on her face. Rose looked at the apple and then back at Darci. “What did you do to it!?” She asked, horror upon her face. Darci giggled and answered, “Nothing.” And turned around. “Liar! Why are you smiling then?” Rose asked skeptically. “Well, it's just that we both got kissed by policemen tonight.” Darci replied with a shrug then a glance over her shoulder. “WHAT!?” Rose exclaimed through another bite of apple. Darci nodded and jumped up and down a few times. Rose ran over and squeezed her in a tight hug. After the hug, Darci hurried back to work fixing dinner. Rose ran upstairs to get ready for tonight, all the while a smile not leaving her face. She hopped into the shower, turning it so hot that it was difficult to breathe. The water burned her skin, but it felt great to her. The way the water burned made Rose feel like the grime couldn't stay, though Darci usually yells at her about using all the hot water. Rose looked up and watched the steam stealthily climb up and over the shower curtain. With a sigh, she scrubbed her hair and finished up so Darci wouldn't throw a bitch fit. She climbed out of the shower feeling the warmth of the bathroom. The mirrors were so steamed up, all she could see was a blob of herself. She chuckled quietly and wrapped a towel around her body while she walked into her room. She scanned her closet, but couldn't find anything she wanted to wear. “Darci wouldn't mind if I borrowed something...” Rose thought aloud. She wandered into Darci's room and scanned her closet. In it she found her favorite gray shirt and the red leather jacket she let Darci borrow a long time ago. She rolled her eyes and pulled them from their hangers and walked back to her room. Once there, she pulled on her gray lace bra and matching panties and pulled the shirt over her head. She glanced around the room for her tight black jeans and found them in the dirty laundry. She smelled them to see if they were wearable and decided they were fine. After pulling them on, she grabbed the red leather and put it on. She ran into the bathroom where the mirror was still slightly foggy and ran her hand across it. She looked at herself in the mirror for a few seconds, then ran a brush through her long, tangled blonde hair. She put on a bit of clear mascara and skipped down the steps to see if her best friend needed any help in the kitchen.

Darci had just put the food in the oven when Rose came skipping down the stairs. “Just in time. Now, I am going to take a shower, hopefully you didn't use all the hot water.” Darci said playfully glaring at Rose. Rose smiled and shrugged a shoulder. Darci rolled her eyes and bounded upstairs. When she walked into the bathroom, she was greeted by a bunch of steam. “Jeezus Rose, you need a fuckin sauna or something?” Darci mumbled closing the door behind her. She turned on the shower and quickly stripped. She climbed into the shower and screamed when the scorching hot water burned her skin. She jumped away from the stream of water and turned down the temperature. At this moment, she wished all the hot water had been used up. Testing the temperature of the water, she slowly stepped into read of the steam. With a heavy sigh, she smiled and relaxed under the water hitting her skin. She quickly shaved and washed her hair. After getting out of the shower, Darci wandered to her bed and sat down. She was so relaxed that she wanted to fall asleep right there. After a couple minutes of contemplating whether she had time to take a nap or not, she got up and looked for something to wear. She thought back to what Rose was wearing and decided to be fancy. She decided to go with dark blue jeans that were tight around her waist, but loose at the bottom. She grabbed her black tank top that showed her cleavage and threw a black leather on top. She then went back to the bathroom and blow-dried her long dark brown hair. She surrounded her eyes in dark black eyeliner and thick black mascara. When she was satisfied with how she looked, she headed downstairs. She gets to the kitchen and sees Rose sitting on the counter with her legs crossed. She did not notice Darci because she was holding a magazine in front of her face. Darci thought it would be funny to sneak up on her so she crawled on the ground and grabbed her feet. Rose threw the magazine in the air and jumped back almost falling off the counter. “The look on your face was priceless!” Darci exclaimed rolling on the floor laughing. “UGH! I really hate you sometimes!” Rose yelled, about to smack Darci. The doorbell rang saving Darci from an ultimate showdown with Rose. They both dusted themselves off and walked to the door.

When the door opened, Darci was shocked to see that James had brought his dog. “Sorry, he ran out and jumped in the car and wouldn't get out.” James gave Darci the most innocent face she couldn't be mad. She wasn't mad to begin with because she loved dogs. Before even kissing James hello, she crouched down and rubbed Riot's ears. He moved closer to her and knocked her on her butt and began to lick her face. She smiled as she petted the dog. Rose patted Riot on the head, then got out of the way so that the guys could enter. Darci stood up and closed the door behind them. Riot immediately jumped on the couch and made himself at home. “Riot, down!” James commanded. Riot's ears went flat and he slowly crawled off the couch looking like someone caught him pooping in the house. Darci felt so bad with those puppy dog eyes she said, “It's okay if he's on the couch.” As if he could understand her, he jumped back onto the couch and began to pant. James rolled his eyes at the dog and smiled at Darci. “Something smells delicious!” Jerome exclaimed after he kissed Rose on the cheek. Darci washed her hands and got the food out of the oven. “First off, any food allergies?” Both men looked at each other and shook their heads. “Great!” Darci smiled at sat the food down at the dining room table. She then went into the cupboard that was hardly opened and brought two bottles of wine down. She grabbed four wine glasses then set them all at the table. The Jerome sat next to Rose and across from Darci. James sat across from Rose and next to Darci. “Let's dig in!” Rose said as she served herself and Jerome. Darci poured the wine for all and threw a piece of loose bacon in Riot's direction. He, of course, gobbled it down and sat next to Darci for the rest of the dinnertime. James didn't notice that she kept sneaking table scraps to Riot. Or if he did, he never said anything.

After dinner and a few more drinks, the party began. Rose almost immediately took off her red leather jacket because it had grown hot in the room. She then began to talk and would not shut her mouth. Jerome tried to take away her wine, but she refused stating that she was not through yet. He smiled at her stubbornness and they both shared a whole other bottle. Rose was a light-weight and was drunk after the fourth glass, but she kept going. Finally, Jerome convinced her to let him take her to bed. She agreed and they went up to her room. When they got there, he gently placed her in her bed. “Will you lay with me until I fall asleep?” She asked him with a yawn. Jerome smiled and quickly got into her bed with her. She pulled at his shirt. “Take this off, it bothers me.” She told him. He sat up and grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled it over his head, revealing and incredible body with rock-hard abs. He laid down with her again and she snuggled close to him. After he thought she had fallen asleep, he began to doze. “Can you take these off too?” She asked him, pulling at the button of his jeans. He chuckled to himself. “Are you trying to subtly get me to strip for you?” Rose sat up in bed and crossed her arms. “No. They are just uncomfortable.” He got out of bed and took off his pants, revealing him in briefs that clung to his every body feature. Rose smiled when he got back into bed, then jumped up and went into the bathroom. She shut the door and turned on the faucet. She then proceeded to empty her bladder and quickly washed her hands. Feeling too lazy to pull her jeans back on, she walked out of the bathroom in just her panties and gray shirt. When Jerome spotted her, he blinked in surprise. She crawled into bed and snuggled close to him. He pulled her close and smiled and she slowly fell asleep in his arms.

After Rose and Jerome went upstairs, Darci and James settled down on the couch. Riot laid on the ground right next to them and quickly fell asleep. “You know, they most likely will not be coming down again.” Darci whispered. James kissed her on the head through his smile. “I figured.” Darci then got up and went into the kitchen to clean up. James immediately followed her. When she began to do the dishes, he snuck up behind her and moved her hair aside and kissed her neck. She gently placed the dish she was holding down and grabbed the edge of the sink. James then proceeded to slowly take off her leather jacket, still kissing her neck. She breathed in heavily and turned to face him. With a sexy smile on his face, he leaned down to kiss her chest, making her take a deep breath. Darci grabbed his hand and tugged him to the stairs. “Where are we going?” He asked. “You already know.” She replied, pulling him into her room. He locked the door behind them as she pushed him against the door. During the heavy making out, Darci managed to get his pants off and unbutton his shirt. His eyes had her thinking that their was another side of him that was not at all shy and sweet. He grabbed her tank top and yanked it over her head. He then pushed her onto the bed and began to move his hands throughout her body. She tried to suppress the moan, but had no such luck. He pulled off the pants that were restricting his prize and with them came her panties. She blushed when he kissed her chest and slowly made a trail to her waist. The time ticks, but not slow enough. Darci wished she could be with him forever. After they were done making love, James pulled Darci close and kissed her forehead. She couldn't remember a time when she had ever felt so much happiness. She and James slowly drifted off to sleep in one another's arms.

Rose awakes to an arm draped around her side. As she laid in her bed slowly waking up, she realized that someone is next to her. She slowly turned around and saw Jerome. As she tried to remember what happened the previous night, she realized that she is in only her bra and panties. Did she and Jerome have sex? Jerome pulled her against him and cuddled her tightly against his chest. Rose had also realized that he too was in just in his underwear. She decided to snuggle closer to him and doing so , she felt every cut of his muscles against her front-side. The feeling of his skin on hers turned Rose on. She did not think they slept together, but she wasn't sure. “Good morning beautiful.” Jerome whispered into her ear. She turned around and kissed him softly on his lips. “You feeling okay today?” He asked her. She nodded and smiled at this gorgeous man holding her in his strong arms. “I feel gross and grimey. I wanna take a shower.” She said. He chuckled and kissed her on her forehead. She looked up at him and bit her lip. Then she got out of bed and grabbed his hand. At first, Jerome was confused, but he soon figured out what was going through Rose's mind. “Are you sure Rose?” He asked. “If you don't want to, you can always back out.” Rose said in a sultry voice. Jerome's eyes grew big as she took off her bra. She tapped on the door to make sure nobody was in there, then sauntered in, Jerome right behind her. Her panties came off and she turned on the shower. She did not turn it on as hot as she usually has it because she had no idea if Jerome liked hot showers. She climbed in the shower holding Jerome's hand and pulled her close. As she felt his body on hers, she knew he was her number one. He pushed her against the wall and they made love under the wet heat of the water coming down on them.

Darci awoke to the shower running. She groaned as she stretched her body. James smiled and ran his hand down Darci's front-side, making her giggle and pull her arms in for protection. He kept tickling her, making her squeal with delight. She finally got up out of bed and pulled on a shirt and sweatpants. “Aww, but I like you better without those.” James pouted, pulling at the clothes Darci just threw on. She giggled and swatter his hands away. “Too bad, I have breakfast to make. And a kitchen to clean.” Darci opened the door to see a sad looking Riot glance up at her, his head still on his paws. “Don't look at me with those adorable eyes.” Darci said as she squatted down to rub the dog's ears. He sat up and licked her hand. “C'mon Riot, let's go potty!” Darci jumped to her feet and danced down the stairs. “Potty!?” James questioned, sticking his head out her door. Darci smiled up at her Romeo and nodded her head. Riot was at her heels as she led him to the backyard. “Be a good boy and stay in this yard. I'll be back momentarily.” The dog lifted his leg and relieved himself on the fence surrounding Darci's house. Darci shut the door and slowly walked to the kitchen, not wanting to see the mess that she undoubtedly would have to clean up. James came down the stairs two at a time and sat at the counter to watch Darci. “Want some help, Darlin?” He asked her, watching her every move. “Go let Riot in.” She said with a smile. James rolled his eyes and went to the door to let his dog in. Darci's phone rang as he left to get his dog. “Hello?” She answered. “Is Darci Harvell available?” The other line asked. “This is her.” She replied, turning the hot water on for the sink. “This is Doctor Lowe with the Animal Hospital, I wanted to let you know that you got the job.” Darci dropped the plate that was in her hand and smiled. “Really? Thank you so much! When do you want me to start?” She asked excitedly. “Our office opens in thirty minutes if you can start today, that would be perfect.” “I'll be there!” She said and hung up. She jumped up and down and squealed with joy. Could today get any better? “DARCI!?” She heard James' frantic call from outside. She rushed out there and saw him kneeling next to Riot who was on his side breathing heavily. She raced to his side and saw that Riot had been shot by a gun. She looked around, but there was nobody to be seen. She ran inside and grabbed blankets then placed them next to Riot. Tears were in James' eyes, but not falling. She put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at her. “Gently put him on the the blanket. We need to keep him from moving as much as possible.” James did as he was told and he and Darci picked up opposite ends of the blanket. “My car is right out front. The black '67 Mustang with the orange racing stripes.” James glanced at her with shock. She shrugged and they both hurried to get there. Rose stuck her head out the front door. “What happened?” She called out. “Riot was shot. Stay inside, lock the doors. Let Jerome know. Will we be back when we can.” Darci shouted. Gently placing Riot on the back seat, she saw James wipe the tears from his eyes. She shut the door. “Let's go.” Darci peeled down the street, desperate to save this dog.

Rose and Jerome got out of the shower feeling feisty and refreshed when they both heard the unmistakable scream of James. He screamed Darci's name. They both hurried to get dressed and raced downstairs. Rose saw Darci and James go out the front door holding something in a blanket. “What happened?” She called out the door. “Riot was shot. Stay inside, lock the doors. Let Jerome know. We will be back when we can.” Darci shouted back, looking scared out of her mind. James' face was hidden, but Jerome gasped and whispered something under his breath. She watched out the door as Darci and James sped down the road. “Great.” Rose exclaimed, quickly shutting the door and locking it. Jerome's head was in his hands and he was crying. “You'll be doing more than that when I am through with you.” A male voice exclaimed. Rose and Jerome looked up and saw a man with a brown beard and beady dark brown eyes staring at them. He held up something and both Jerome and Rose fell to the ground. They were tazed. When Rose looked up, the guy was standing over her. “Great idea, right? I didn't even think that you two would hook up with policemen. Pretty good idea, but it just makes me angrier.” He slammed his foot down on Rose's wrist, making her cry out in agony. “Leave her alone!” Jerome yelled, trying to get up. The man rolled his eyes and punched Jerome, knocking him out. Rose had tears falling down her face. “Why? What did we do to you?” She asked him. He laughed manically and said, “You landed me in jail sweetheart.” That was when Rose figured out who he was. The guy who tried to rape Darci. She tried to roll away from him, but he grabbed a fist full of her hair and yanked her to her feet. “You are going to regret everything.” he whispered to her. She spit on him. “Fuck you!” She yelled in his face. “Cute.” He said and slammed her head on the wall, knocking her out. The man sighed and picked her up. “Such a shame. It didn't have to be this way.” He said, brushing her hair from her face. “Or maybe it did.” and he began to tie her to a chair. He then grabbed Jerome and tied him to a chair opposite of her. “They will get what is coming.”

Darci and James raced into the Animal Hospital just as it was opening. The old man saw Darci, then Riot and quickly unarmed the system. He showed Darci where to put Riot so she could get to work. She quickly washed up as the old man escorted James out. The old man came back in to help assist Darci with the extracting of the bullet as James sat in the waiting room, head in his hands. After what seemed like hours, Darci walked out to the waiting room where James was still sitting with his head in his hands. She slowly walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder and he looked up, hope in his eyes. Darci smiled at him and he stood up. “He is going to be just fine, just a slight scare. No major organ were hit, but he will have to stay here over night.” James nodded his head. “You're a vet?” He asked, dumbfounded. Darci cracked up, and when she finally caught her breath, he was looking at her with such an intense stare. “Um, Yeah. Anyway, talk with Mr...” She looked at the old man whose name escaped her. “Doctor Lowe.” He offered. Darci nodded her head and blushed. “I knew that.” She said. Doctor Lowe approached her. “If you'd like, you don't have to start today. I can take over and watch umm...” “Riot.” James said. “Riot. Go ahead and go home, he will be safe. And you will get paid.” Darci smiled and shook his hand. “Thank you Doctor Lowe. I will be in tomorrow okay?” She told him. He nodded and waved her and James out the door. She and James hurried home. “Thank you, Darci.” James said as she parked. She just smiled and got out. “I mean it. Riot, well he is like family.” Darci walked over and kissed him softly. “All in a day's work.” He put his arm around her waist and they walked up to the condo, not expecting what was coming.

When Jerome woke up, he felt groggy and his vision was hazy. When he saw the man, his memory returned to him. “Ahh, I see you are awake.” The man said, walking over to him. Jerome glared at the guy. He tried to stand up, but he was tied tightly to a chair. “Ah ah ah. I can't let you escape, now can I?” The guy said. “Fuck you.” Jerome said, struggling more. The man gave him a look that was indescribable. He then pulled his fist back and punched Jerome. “That one is for putting me in jail.” He pulled back and punched him again. “That one was for hooking up with blondie here.” Again he punched Jerome, making tears come to his eyes. “That was just cuz I like hitting you.” He said. Then he grabbed his knife. He slowly traced the outline of Jerome's face. “You sure are handsome though.” Jerome screamed as the man cut a thin line next to his ear. “You son of bitch!” Jerome yelled, struggling to get free. The man just smiled and went to cut him again when Rose moaned. He turned around and saw her open her big blue eyes. “Hey there, gorgeous.” The man said, walking over to her. “Don't you touch her!” Jerome screamed, once again pulling against his restraints. The man rolled his eyes as he crouched in front of Rose. He put the knife on the ground next to him and put both of his hands on her inner thighs. She was wearing shorts, so his hands were on bear skin. “Leave her alone!” Another plea from Jerome ignored. The man slowly moved his hands up and down her thighs, each time going closer to Rose's most private area. Her legs were tied to the legs of the chair, spread apart. The man began to kiss her thighs, still rubbing them with his dirty hands. “Stop it! Leave me alone!” Rose screamed over and over, squirming to get away from his touch. He stood up, hands still on her legs. “Stop touching her!” Jerome screamed again. The man grew tired of hearing Jerome's voice, yet he still kept him awake. He wanted him to watch as he took the dignity from the girl he loved. The man kissed Rose's neck. She stretched her neck and bit the man on his ear. He quickly pulled back, anger flaring in his eyes. Rose had a triumphant look on her face until the man took his hand and backhanded her across the face. She yelped as this left a mark on her face. He then took the knife and brought it down on her thigh, making her scream in agony. “I do not like biting!” The man yelled in her face. He slowly pulled the knife from her skin making her scream even louder. “NO!” Jerome yelled, finally breaking free one of his hands. The man saw this and turned around, only to be punched in the face. He went down on the floor, but quickly got to his feet just as Jerome cut his other arm free. His feet however, were still tied, so the man easily overpowered him, using rope that was nearby to once again restrain the cop. He then plunged the knife into Jerome's shoulder, causing immense pain to him. “Do not ever do that again.” and he turned back to Rose when he heard the distinct sound of a car door slamming. He looked out the window and saw Darci and her cop coming up the drive. Quickly, he grabbed two gags and shoved them into each one of his victims' mouths.

James and Darci walked up to the condo. He had his hand around her waist and was thinking about how luck he was to have her when they opened the door. Immediately, both people had a searing white hot pain spread throughout their entire bodies and collapsed onto the floor. Before he blacked out, he heard the door close and a guy laugh. When he came to, he was staring at Jerome who was bleeding from several places on his face. He frantically looked around and saw Rose in front of him, tears rolling down her cheeks. Darci was nowhere to be seen, and neither was their captor. “What's going on?” He asked, noticing Jerome had a gag in his mouth. Rose did not however and answered. “The guy who tried to rape Darci is back for revenge.” She choked out through sobs. “Holy shit.” Was all James could say. He looked Rose up and down and saw that she had a deep cut on her thigh and was bleeding from her cheek and nose. “Ah, you're awake now. Good, show can get started.” The man said, coming in around the corner. He was pulling a naked Darci over by her hair. He through her on the ground, making her hit her head on the edge of Rose's chair. “DARCI!” Rose and James screamed at the same time. “Oh shut up!” The man screamed, turning Darci over on her back. Her hands were bounded together by zip ties. “Let's have some fun, shall we?” The man said, yanking down his pants. Darci backed away, closer to James, but the man grabbed her ankle. “Ah ah ah!” The man exclaimed, bringing her in the middle of the three chairs. “Leave her alone dammit!” James yelled, pulling hard against his restraints. The man rolled his eyes and stood up, shoving a gag in James' mouth. He screamed against it, trying to spit it out. Rose was crying, looking away from what was happening. What the man did not see was that she had almost rid her hands from her restraints. Just as he spread Darci's legs, Rose broke free. She quickly bent over, untying her legs. Darci screamed as the man entered her, raping her. Jerome and James screamed, both trying to escape to save Darci. Tears streamed from her eyes as she begged the man to stop. He kept pounding her, making her yell every time he pulled out and slammed into her again. Rose finally untied her legs and jumped up, slamming a lamp down on the man's head, knocking him out. She quickly limped over to the knife and cut Jerome free. She then proceeded to cut James free as Jerome got the man off of a crying Darci. When Jerome helped Darci to her feet, Rose was barely cutting James' second hand free. Nobody saw the man get up and pull out the gun except Darci, who screamed at Jerome to look out. He instantly turned around and grabbed the gun. The man fired, hitting James in the shoulder. Jerome tackled the guy, ripping the gun from his hand just as it fired again. Only when it fired the second time, it hit the man in the chest and he fell to the floor. Darci was at James' side, untying his legs from the chair. When he was free, they heard sirens outside. Darci pulled her sweatpants on and a tank top just as the police entered the condo.

They were all taken to the hospital immediately. Rose suffered from a broken wrist and the deep cut on her thigh plus a few abrasions on her face. Jerome had a cracked jar and some rope burns, but other then that, he was fine and released almost immediately. James had a small cut on his face and had to get stitches, but wasn't actually put in the system since he wasn't hurt too bad. Darci had to have tests to make sure the man didn't give her any diseases when he raped her and she also had to have some special cream because of how much he ripped her. She also suffered from two broken ribs and one cracked one. She had a slight concussion, but was released from the hospital the next day. When everyone was out of the hospital, they all took a trip to see if Riot was able to come home. He was and Darci got a month of paid medical leave. Doctor Lowe ended up being a pretty chill boss. After her month was over, Darci went to work as a full time veterinarian and helped many people. She even helped pay for some of the animals whose owners did not have the money to pay her. James and Jerome were offered a promotion, but both turned it down stating that they loved the jobs they had now. Rose continued her college education to become a writer and published a book before she was even finished with college.

Ten months after the accident and Darci moved in with James and Riot. Jerome and Rose got a place of their own a few blocks away from James and Darci. Riot was happy and healthy, running around like before he was shot. James proposed to Darci on their sixth month anniversary at the most romantic restaurant in town. They are expecting a baby, but do not yet know the gender. Jerome proposed to Rose a few days after they found out that Rose was expecting a baby girl. She was 3 months pregnant when they found out that James had proposed to Darci. Darci had convinced James to adopt another dog when someone brought in a border collie that was left for dead on the side of the road. Darci fixed her up and named her Moxie. Nobody had claimed her, so Darci brought her home. Riot has never been happier. He and Moxie play and are expecting little puppies. (Yes, everyone got busy.) James and Jerome both retired so they could start a family and be with the ones they cared most about. The man that caused all that turmoil ended up dying a few days after getting shot. I would say that everyone lived happily ever after, but that is cheesy and way over used. Plus, this wasn't a fairytale. It was a horror story.