A Matter of Time
By Vicki © 2003

*** Summer 2000 *****


“ When is she due?” AJ asked excitedly.
“ About an hour man. You’ve never met this girl and now your excited to meet my sister.” Kevin said looking at his younger friend.
“ Dude the way you talk about her she must be the most beautiful girl to come out of Kentucky.” AJ said sitting down in the seat next to his friend.
“ She is. Man I haven’t seen Anna in almost four years. She calls and sends pictures which it sounds like you even have seen.” Kevin said looking towards the door.
“ Kev, come on man let’s get going her plane arrives in less than an hour.” Brian said rushing into the hotel room.
“ Yeah I know. I swear you’d think we hadn’t seen her in a life time.” Kevin said looking at the group.
“ We haven’t man.” AJ said looking at Kevin. Kevin shook his head and led them to the truck.



Anna exited the plane, a small smile on her face as she looked at the nice flight attendant that had helped her exit the plane.
“ Was there anything else you needed?” She asked Anna.
“ Nope thank you for all your help.” Anna said shaking her hand.
“ No problem Miss Richardson.” She said watching her leave. Anna made her way threw the crowd and found her brother and her cousin and their friends standing at the end of the terminal waiting for her.
“ Hey Anna.” Kevin said leaning down and hugging his sister. Anna kissed his cheek and hugged him back.
“ Hey Cuz” Brian said hugging her as well.
“ Hey guys. Thanks for having me.” She said looking around.
“ Guys this is my sister Anna, Anna this is Nick, Howie and AJ.” Kevin said pointing to each of the boys. Nick moved forward and shook her hand. Howie gave her a gentile hug and AJ stood there and smiled. He had been so excited to see what Anna had looked like but this was a huge surprise. His eyes drifted over her slender body and came to rest on her legs. She was more beautiful than he had expected. But it was another thing while looking at her he hadn’t expected.
“ Hi I am Alex.” AJ said kissing her cheek.
“ Hello Alex.” Anna said looking into his brown eyes. His eyes where a soft brown and she swore she could have gotten lost in them. But she could see the fear in them as well.

*** Two days Later. **

Anna smiled as AJ held her hand while they sat in the room watching TV. Kevin watched from where he was sitting and shook his head.
“ They are fine. Leave them alone.” Brian whispered in his cousin’s ear.
“ But that’s my sister and AJ’s been on a downward spiral for the last two years.”
“ Maybe she’s what he needs. Amanda hasn’t been really nice to him.” Nick said looking at them.
“ Stay out of this Nicky.” Kevin almost growled at the younger man.
“ Kev, she’s the same age as Alex leave them alone.” Brian repeated. Kevin just narrowed his eyes and watched the two new love birds.
“ What do you think is his problem?” Howie asked pulling Brian aside.
“ He worries about Anna, always has but it’s become worse after the accident or hadn’t you noticed that my cousin is in a wheelchair?” Brian asked looking at them.
“ I noticed and it didn’t seem to bother me. So I didn’t bring it up.” Howie said looking at Brian strangely.
“ It bothers Kevin some times.” Brian said looking towards his cousin.
“ How did the accident happen?”
“ Her boyfriend had been drinking heavily after their prom and she had begged him to let her drive even though she didn’t have a license. But it was better than having him drive drunk. That didn’t happen he got mad and she didn’t want him to go alone so she rode with him. He swerved into the wrong lane and hit a semi head on. Anna was thrown from the car upon impact, snapping her spine. Her boyfriend was killed instantly.”
“ When was this?”
“ Five years ago if I recall. That would be when Kevin had to rush home for a short while.”
“ I am surprised that he came back.” Howie said to him.
“ He came back cause she made him, Anna wasn’t willing to let his life come to an end cause hers did.”
“ She seems happy with Alex.” Howie pointed out.
“ I know, that is the first smile I’ve seen on her in a long time.” Brian said a smile playing on his face.

“ Alex are you sure you aren’t scared?” Anna asked
“ Nope not scared at all.” AJ said kissing her cheek lightly.
“ Alright. How about we talk to Kev.”
“ How about we just be together. Cause I know your going home soon.” AJ said to her.
“ I don’t have to go home.” Anna said looking at him. AJ nodded and kissed her lips softly. He pulled away from her as he heard what sounded like a low growl coming from Kevin.
“ Kevin, leave it alone.” Anna said looking towards her brother.
“ No, now let’s get you back to your room.” Kevin said coming over to her.
“ Fine.” Anna said as he wheeled her from the room.


Anna watched as AJ seemed to slip further and further into a deep depression. She knew he had broken up with his girlfriend and with the death of his grandmother he seemed to close himself off from the world. She had been sleeping late one night after a show when he returned home and she could hear his giggling all the way into her room. She lay quietly listening to the shouting. She could make out her brother’s voice and then AJ’s slurred voice and then silence. She waited and fell back to sleep. She heard shouting early the next morning and as she made her way to the hallway. She could hear Kevin’s voice all the way down the hall.
“ Your worthless. Again you’re messing up. I can’t take this anymore AJ.” Kevin shouted threw the door. Anna wasn’t sure what had happened but she could tell her brother was pissed.
“ Kevin what’s going on?” Anna asked coming into the hallway.
“ He’s hung over or fucking drugged out of his mind and is sleeping.” Kevin shouted at her. Anna looked at him strangely and then towards the door to AJ’s room.
“ Maybe he’s sick?” She offered as an explanation. Kevin shook his head and threw his hands in the air, he wasn’t arguing with her over the state of mind that AJ was in. Anna touched AJ’s door and then lightly knocked.
“ What the fuck do you want?” AJ shouted as he opened the door. Anna looked up at him with wide eyes. AJ looked down at her with anger in his eyes.
“ What did you want?” he asked again.
“ Never mind.” Anna said wheeling herself back to her room. She took one last look towards AJ and then went into her room and closed the door.
“ Shit.” AJ said realizing what he had just done. He had yelled at one of his best friends and the girl he cared about.
“ Screwed up big didn’t ya J.” Howie said standing in the hall.
“ Screw you D.” AJ said walking into the room and slamming the door closed.
“ No thanks I think you’ve done yourself plenty today.” Howie said heading into his own room then changing his mind he decided he wanted to go and check on Anna. Knocking on the door he waited, he could hear soft crying from the other side. Using his spare key card he let himself in.
“ Awe honey.” Howie said seeing her sitting near the window crying.
“ He yelled at me.” Anna said looking at him. Howie put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
“ I know honey. He didn’t mean it.” Howie said looking at her.
“ He’s never yelled at me. I wish he would get some help.”
“ I think he will.” Howie said to her.
“ D, you in here?” Nick’s voice asked from the hallway.
“ Yeah Nick. It’s open man.” Howie said from his place sitting next to Anna.
“ What’s wrong Anna?” Nick asked seeing her red puffy eyes looking at him.
“ It’s nothing major Nick.” Howie said standing “ What’s up?”
“ AJ wants us to meet him in the conference room. Now.” Nick said looking at them.
“ What does he want?” Anna asked her voice dripping with anger.
“ I don’t know but it’s an emergency.”
“ Alright come on let’s go talk with him.” Howie said looking at Nick. “ You want to come?” He asked Anna.
“ Might as well I can’t hide forever.” She said wheeling towards the door.

Anna wheeled into the room behind Howie and Nick. She heard what sounded like AJ crying. She stopped in the doorway where he couldn’t see her.
“ What’s going on?” Kevin asked.
“ I need help.” AJ said looking at them.
“ What kind of help?” Howie asked sitting next to his best friend.
“ For my drinking and drug abuse. I really need help I realized that when I yelled at Kevin and then at Anna.” AJ said putting his face in his hands and sobbing.
“ When are you leaving?” Howie asked.
“ Today.” Kevin said looking at them.
“ You knew about this?”
“ Yeah AJ talked to me first. He wants to do this.”
“ I will support him no matter what.” Anna said from her place in the doorway.
“ Thank you.” AJ said looking at her.
” I will find that person in me that you haven’t met yet Anna.”
“ Good you do that and when you get out I will be here for you.” Anna said moving herself closer. AJ looked at her, she hadn’t said much to him lately. Actually he hadn’t given her much time to say anything. Nodding he stood and followed Kevin from the room. Anna sat there for a long while and then turned towards the others.
“ It’s good for him.” Anna said looking at him.
“ I hope your right.” Howie said looking at her. Anna nodded and headed from the room she wanted to be alone.



It was a hard 30 days. Anna talked to AJ over the phone as often as was allowed. But Kevin kept a close eye on her. He still didn’t like the idea of her dating AJ.
“ I don’t want you seeing him anymore.” Kevin said looking at her.
“ I am 23 years old Kevin you have no right to tell me who I can and can not see.”
“ I can and will. AJ has a lot of problems you don’t need right now.” Kevin said looking at her. He wanted her to understand that he wasn’t being mean but just trying to protect her. Anna wasn’t sure why Kevin was being the way he was but she figured that he would be protective but not around his closest friends.
“ I want to help him with his problems.
“ Then to help him stay away from him.” Kevin said again.
“ Fine.” She mumbled moving away from him and going into her room. She was angry with Kevin but she wasn’t going to say anything to him. She looked towards Kevin’s wife and groaned when Kristin seemed to be angry that she was there. Anna shook her head and wheeled herself from the room.

“ Kris why do you treat her that way?” Kevin asked looking at his wife.
“ Because she’s not welcome here.” Kristin said looking at him. Kevin looked at his wife as if she had lost her mind.
“ She’s my younger sister.”
“ She’s your only sister. And you’ve been babying her since the accident.”
“ I have not. I am protective as is my brothers. Why is this suddenly an issue with you?” Kevin asked.
“ Because she’s been taking up every waking minuet of your time. She needs rides places she needs all of your time.”
“ She doesn’t need all of my time.” Kevin shouted. “ And as for rides she has her own car.”
“ But she asks you to take her places.”
“ She asks me to ride along. You know something I am tired of explaining things to you. This is ridiculous we discussed her being here.” Kevin said looking at her.
“ We did when she first moved in back what was it a year ago Kev. I want to have children and I don’t want to have to worry that when we do they are going to get run over by her.” Kristin said. Kevin looked at her and then towards the hallway where his sister sat with tears in her eyes. Anna turned her chair and hurried from the house. She never would have believed that she was such an inconvience. She made her way down the driveway away from the house, tears streaming down her cheeks.
“ Anna, Anna what’s wrong?” She heard a voice yelling from a distance. She turned her chair and saw AJ standing at the end of the driveway.
“ She doesn’t want me here. I’m an inconvience she doesn’t want me here.” Anna cried as AJ moved closer to her.
“ Who’s mean to you?” AJ asked getting down in front of her.
“ Kristin, she hates me. She told Kevin that she hated me being here.”
“ Then you can come home with me. I am visiting cause Kevin had called us all, we needed to get back on the road.”
“ Are you sure your ready?” Anna asked looking into his eyes.
“ Yeah I am. I want to take the time to thank everyone that helped me, everyone who stood by me no matter what.” AJ said looking at her.
“ I wasn’t one of them that stood by you.”
“ Yes you did. Anna in your own way you are the reason I went into rehab to get my head on straight. I wanted you to understand that I care about what you think and what you say.” AJ said taking her hands in his own.
“ Thanks.” Anna said as she looked into his brown eyes. Something she hadn’t ever seen when they first met. He had always hid his eyes behind dark glasses.
“ Anytime babe. Now come on lets get back to the house before Kevin sends out the search party.” AJ said wheeling her back towards the house. Kevin stood at the end of the driveway with Brian.
“ Let them be.” Brian whispered.
“ Didn’t we already have this conversation?” Kevin asked looking at his younger cousin. Brain nodded and left it alone, he watched AJ bring Anna back and that was when he saw the tears that had made their way down her cheeks.
“ What happened?” Kevin asked looking at AJ.
“ That bitch happened.” Anna said pointing towards Kristin.
“ What did I do to you?” Kristin asked moving forward.
“ You came out and told my brother you don’t want me here. So I will make you happy I am leaving.”
“ What?” Kevin asked looking at her.
“ I am leaving. I have been planning for a while. But after hearing what she said I don’t want to be here anymore.” Anna said wheeling herself into the house. AJ looked at Kevin and then followed Anna into the house.
“ Good riddance.” Kristin said walking towards the house. Brian shook his head and looked at Kevin.
“ Your wife seems to hate Anna. I agree with Anna she doesn’t need this kind of stress, you of all people should understand that.” Brian said to him. Kevin turned towards his home and watched as his sister, with help from Howie and AJ loaded things into her car. She slid into the car and watched as AJ placed her wheelchair in the back. Sliding into the passenger side of the car he waited.
“ I am sorry I cant be here anymore Kev. I love you.” Anna said starting the car and leaving the yard.
“ Why did I buy her that car?”
“ So you could watch the selfish bitch leave our lives.” Kristin said coming up behind her husband. Kevin spun around and faced her anger flashing in his eyes.
“ Her selfish? I want your things packed and you gone by the time I get back.”
“ Me? How is this my fault?”
“ You’ve been yelling at her every day since she moved in with us.” Kevin shouted.
“ Then maybe you shouldn’t have had her move in with us. I didn’t want her here. I agreed because I wanted to be with you.”
“ I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” Kevin said heading into the house.
“ Fine always take that brats side, you always sided with her more than you did me.” Kristin shouted.
“ Let it go Kris.” Brian said looking at her.
“ Why, the only time you come around here is when he calls and you need to work.” Kristin said looking at Brian.
“ Because she’s my cousin, and was in the family long before you joined this family. I am tired of you talking about Anna as if she isn’t one of the family.”
“ She wouldn’t have been. She would have died that night, but she didn’t and she became that cripple.” Kristin spat at him. Brain took a step back and looked at the woman in front of him. Kristin and Kevin hadn’t been married long and Brian was wondering what Kevin ever saw in her.
“ What is your problem? You see Anna as nothing more than a waste of space, you know what I hope that with this Kevin leaves you.” Brian shouted at her. Kristin looked at him and then slapped him hard across the face.
“ What the hell are you doing?” Kevin said looking at her. Kristin spun around and looked at him. She took a step back as she looked at the anger in his eyes.
“ He insulted me.” Kristin said looking at him.
“ I don’t care if he called you a whore don’t you ever do that again.” Kevin growled as he brushed past her. Brian smirked and shook his head.
“ Blood is thicker than water Kris, you should know that by now.” Brian said heading in the direction of his cousin.
“ She’s gone. And I am glad the little bitch is gone.” Kristin said heading into the house.

“ Kevin, let’s go over to Alex’s we know that is where Anna is.”
“ Did you see the way she looked? I had never seen her look like that. And I’ve never seen Kris act like that.” Kevin said looking at Brian.
“ I know neither have I. Kevin don’t make Anna think that your mad at her for leaving.”
“ I’m not mad at her for leaving I am pissed at Kris for causing her to leave and for me to find out that the only reason Kris allowed her to stay was to get close to me.”
“ Maybe you and Kris really need to talk about it.” Brian said.
“ Yeah maybe after I talk to Anna.” Kevin said heading towards his car. Brian nodded and headed to the car with him.
“ Hey wait for me.” Howie said coming from the house. Kevin looked at Howie and then saw Nick standing in the doorway.
“ Stay here. Maybe you can get my wife to leave.” Kevin said looking at them. Howie nodded and led Nick back into the house.






Anna sat next to AJ as they drove down the road in silence.
“ Baby talk to me. We need to discuss this.”
“ Discuss what? That my brother’s wife is a bitch, and that I just moved out of his house.” Anna said stopping her car. She let her tears fall freely now, AJ reached out and pulled her into his arms as best he could.
“ Hey now don’t cry. You have a place to go, come on let’s go get something to eat and then we can go back to my place.”
“ Alex, he is so angry. She said things and I don’t even know if he was agreeing with her.”
“ He wasn’t. I don’t even know what was going on with her. She’s always been so nice to you.”
“ Not really, just nice to me when you guys are around.” Anna said looking up into AJ’s brown eyes.
“ I think it’s time we talk to all the family now.” AJ said knowing she needed to tell Kevin about this.
“ I don’t want to talk to them right now.” Anna said looking out the window.
“ Let’s go home I can order us something in.” AJ said waiting for her to start the car again.



Kevin pulled into AJ’s driveway, he saw Anna’s car parked in the driveway, the lights where on and he knew that meant they where home. He walked to the door and knocked.
“ Hey.” Kevin said looking at AJ.
“ Come in.” AJ said letting Kevin and Brian into the house. Kevin walked into the living room and looked at his sister.
“ Hey.” He said sitting down next to her.
“ Hi.” Anna said looking towards the floor.
“ I want to know what happened.” Kevin said taking to Anna.
“ You don’t want to know.”
“ I wouldn’t have had asked if I didn’t want t know.”
“ Kevin this has been going on since before she had moved in.” Anna said looking up at him.
“ How long?”
“ Kevin before you asked that woman to marry you. She’s always treated me different. Like I should have died in that accident.” Anna said looking at him tears filling her eyes.
“ Oh Anna I bet she didn’t really mean it.”
“ She meant every venomus word she said. She told me that if I caused anything in her chance to marry a man with money she’d kill me and tell you it was an accident. Kevin she’s angry and I know that you threw her out. I heard you before I left the yard.” Anna said looking at him. Kevin ran his fingers threw his hair and looked at Anna’s sad eyes.
“ God Anna I never knew she was that bad. Please move back in she’s moving out.”
“ I can’t I don’t trust her not trying something.” Anna said.
“ I wont let her. Even AJ can move in. Come on please.” Kevin said holding her hand. Anna nodded and looked up at AJ. AJ smiled and nodded to.
“ Alright for now.” Anna said smiling.





Much to Kevin’s surprise Kristin had moved out and hadn’t made too much of a mess doing so. He watched his sister and AJ make their way threw the house. It had been close to three years since Kristin had left. Divorce papers had been mailed and signed quickly which surprised even Anna. Kristin didn’t put up any fight to keep Kevin or get any money from him even though a nice settlement was set up for her. Kevin loved having AJ and Anna around and watched their love grow more and more every day. Figuring everything was behind them, Kevin had settled into a routine and knew it was time to get back into life.
“ Hey Kev.” Brian said as he entered the room.
“ Hey Bri what brings you around today?”
“ Our meeting with management I thought if I was in the area I’d pick up you and Alex up and head to the building where we are to meet management.”
“ Goodie alright I’ll get Alex and why don’t you visit with Anna she’s out back.” Kevin said as he headed up the stairs to get AJ.
“ Hey there cousin.” Brian said as he came out into the backyard.
“ Hey what brings you around?”
“ A meeting.” Brian said watching her play with the puppy Kevin had gotten her last week.
“ Oh that’s right a tour soon?” She asked looking at him.
“ Yep. Hey there Coco.” Brian said petting the chocolate labs head. Coco hopped into Brian’s lap and began licking his face. Even at only three months Coco was huge.
“ Come on Coco your not a lap dog.” Anna giggled as she watched Brian fend off the happy puppy.
“ Sure he is.” AJ said coming into the backyard. Anna smiled and kissed AJ as he leaned down.
“ We are going to be gone for about an hour maybe a little more alright?” Kevin said looking at his sister.
“ Yeah I’ll be fine.” Anna said Kevin nodded and followed the others out of the backyard. Anna sat there for a while longer and then wheeled herself inside followed by Coco.


Anna made her way round the house and smiled thinking that life was getting better. She just wondered where everyone was it had been three hours. She jumped slightly when the door opened and AJ walked into the house. She looked past him to see if Kevin was coming and not seeing him she wondered what was wrong.
“ Guys? What’s going on?” She asked once everyone but Kevin had entered the house.
“ We seemed to have misplaced Kevin.”
“ What do you mean misplaced?” She asked looking at them. AJ held out an envelope that had her name on the front.

~~~ You want him back alive? Don’t call the police or notify anyone of this. Or his dead body will be found on your doorstep. His friends didn’t even notice he was missing till it was to late. So if you don’t want him dead, then you will do as your told. We will be in touch~~~~

A picture of Kevin bound and gagged was included. Anna looked at the picture and about screamed.
“ Anna, tell me.” AJ said looking at her.
“ He’s been kidnapped. Alex what happened? How long was he gone before you noticed?”
“ I don’t know what happened. Kevin got a call and left the room for a short time. We sent Billy out to look for him and he came back to the room with the note and no Kevin.” AJ said looking at her. Anna let tears run down her cheeks.
“ God they’re going to kill him.” Anna said as AJ pulled her from her chair and into his lap and held her close.

Kevin fought with the bonds that held his arms and legs. He couldn’t believe that he had been tricked into coming from the room. Kevin stopped struggling when he heard the door to the small room he was in open.
“ Hello baby.” She said walking into the room. Kevin’s eyes got wide as he looked at the face of the person that had had him kidnapped. It couldn’t be possible.
“ What speechless?” She said laughing at him. She ran her manicured nail over his cheek as he turned away from her. She would never do something like his to him she had always said she had loved him.
“ Kristin we have to get another note out to that sister of his.”
“ Coming.” She said looking at him almost evilly. “ If I can’t be with you no one will.” She said leaving him alone. She pulled the door closed and locked it. Turning to the man standing there she pulled the blond wig off and smiled.
“ This is going to be a cake walk baby.” She said kissing the man full on the lips. His hands pressed firmly against her ass.
“ Sure is sugar. Does he believe you’re his ex wife?” He asked.
“ Yep. From the look of betrayal in his eyes he took it hook line and sinker. Kristin Richardson will take the rap for this while we get the money. Isn’t it great Marcus?”
“ Sure is Suzie sure is. Come on baby we have another note to deliver.”
“ His sister will pay dearly for killing my brother. Even if that means loosing her own.”
“ Yes she will. Come on baby.” Marcus said leading her from the room. Suzie stopped and looked at the picture of her and her brother together.
“ Brandon I will have my revenge on that bitch it should have been her that died in that accident not you. And no one had told me about it till last year. I’ve been planning this for a long time.” She said looking at the picture.
“ Suzie, come on.” Marcus said pulling her finally from the room. “ You will have the revenge on her and that brother of hers.”
“ Yes I will.” Suzie said with a huge smile. Marcus led her from the house and down the driveway. She held the small yellow envelope in her hands as she got into the car. She would deliver this to her brothers ex girlfriend and watch as she died a little more.




“ Alex I don’t know what I am going to do. Someone has Kevin and there is nothing I can do about it.” Anna said looking at AJ. AJ pulled her further into his arms and kissed her forehead.
“ We will find him. And give who ever has him what they want.” AJ said. Brian looked at his younger cousin and shook his head.
“ I don’t now anyone could do this to him.” Brian said. Anna slid off AJ’s lap and into her chair. She wheeled herself out onto the deck and looked out over the wooded area they lived in.
“ Hey Kevin’s strong he will be fine.” Brian said placing his hands on her shoulders.
“ I hope so. I don’t know what I would do without him. Brian it sounds weird but Kevin and Alex are my world. I’d be lost without them both.” Anna said letting tears roll down her cheeks.
“ Yeah I know, it doesn’t sound weird at all. He’s your brother and best friend and Alex is the man you love. Something in both them that helps me be myself.”
“ Each of us tries to help you be what you’ve always wanted.”
“ Do you know that if the accident had never happened Brandon and I where to be married this year? I loved him with all my heart, but Ales is my life now. I want to be with him for the rest of my life.”
“ I know you do. Brandon was a good man. And is sorely missed. But life does go on.”
“ He had a sister. An older sister, she was always away when I was dating Brandon but she always watched him. She cared deeply about him.”
“ Most family does. Don’t worry I know it for a fact that she doesn’t blame you for what happened that night. You could have just as easily died that night, but he died and he was the one that was drunk, you lost the use of your legs.”
“ I know come on let’s go back inside. I’ve made dinner.” Anna said wheeling herself inside. Brian stood alone for a moment.
“ We will find you Kev I promise you that.” Brian said as he headed back into the house.



Kevin rolled himself onto his back as he tried to get himself free. His eyes where wet from crying, how could she betray him like that. She had always said she loved him and that even after their divorce she wasn’t angry with him. She knew his love for his little sister but why would she do this. Finally being able to pull his arms in front of him Kevin untied his legs and pulled the gag from his mouth.
“ Why Kris?” Kevin whispered as he whipped some new tears away. Getting to his feet he stumbled towards the small doorway.
“ Damn it, it’s locked.” Kevin said pulling on the steel door. Sitting back down on the floor, he pulled his knees up and looked around the room. His head resting on his knees he tried not to cry, he was a strong man and would try to remain one.



“ What do you want to have done with the note?” Suzie asked looking at Marcus.
“ We could leave the note or take something new. You could have your revenge on her in a new way.” Marcus said looking towards the house. He could see Brian walking back into the house.
“ Like what another one of loved ones? The only one’s she has left is that cousin of hers and that fiancée of hers. I don’t want them it wont mean the same.”
“ Her.”
“ What? What do you mean her? I want her to feel what I felt when I lost my brother.”
“ That’s what I mean love, bring her to where we have her brother and she can watch him die.”
“ No. Take the fiancée and we will go from there I want her to be alone.” Suzie said
“ When?”
“ He’s leaving for a walk right now. I’ve been watching them for a long time even in a crisis he needs to get out of the problem. Maybe it’s time to make him part of it.”
“ Alright you wait here my dear I will get our package and we will go back to the house. You can play with Kevin some more.” Marcus said kissing her cheek. Suzie smiled and watched Marcus make his way to the large house. She could see AJ clearly from where she sat in the shadows. Marcus made his way to the house, the large envelope placed under his arm. Suzie had to laugh cause he was dressed like a delivery man, no one would have suspected him to be someone that could hurt them.


“ Can I help you?” AJ asked seeing the man coming up the front door.
“ Yeah I have a package for Anna Richardson.” Marcus said looking at AJ.
“ I’ll take it.” AJ said taking the package and opening the door and setting it just inside. He turned and smiled at the man that stood there waiting.
“ Was there anything else?”
“ Yep you.” He said grabbing AJ around the throat. AJ clawed at the man that was trying to choke him. Marcus moved one of his hands and pulled a cloriformed soaked cloth from his pocket and placed it over AJ’s nose and mouth. Holding the smaller man close as he struggled till finally he passed out in his arms.
“ Now we have two of you.” He said lifting AJ over his shoulder and left the yard.

“ Where did Alex go?” Anna asked looking around the house.
“ Outside you know you haven’t gotten him to stop smoking yet. He needed to calm down.” Nick said looking at her. Anna wheeled herself to the front door and found the small package laying on the floor. She leaned down and lifted it placing it in her lap she opened the door.
“ Alex? Alex come on honey it’s cold come back inside.” Anna said moving outside. She looked around and noticed that AJ was nowhere in site. Going back inside she closed the door and wheeled back to the living room.
“ He’s not out there.” Anna said setting the package on the table. “ I found this and no Alex.”
“ What’s this?” Brian asked opening it. Several pictures fell out and another note. Anna picked up the note.

~~ Well it seems your following directions but are you missing something dear? Yes that’s right I’ve got another one… who is it? Who is missing? You will be as alone as I am. Never knowing what will happen to them. Or maybe I will just ask for a ransom and let them live. I will be in touch. ~~

“ NO!” Anna screamed, dropping the note like it had burned her.
“ Come on lets take you to your room.” Howie said wheeling her from the room. Nick looked over Brian’s shoulder.
“ Is that Kristin?” He asked seeing the blond woman in the picture
“ That’s an excellent question Nick. It sure looks a lot like her and would be what she’d do being as mad at Anna as she was but would she really kidnap Kevin.”
“ That’s what I am thinking. She’s not Kristin.” Howie said looking over their shoulders.
“ How do you know D?”
“ I just do look at her face. First off Kristen has blue eyes that girl has green ones. That’s a wig I can see the dark hair under it.”
“ Suzie.” Brian said looking at the picture closer.
“ Who’s Suzie?” Howie asked looking at his friend.
“ Brandon’s older sister. I had always made a comment to Kevin that she could pass for Kristin when Kevin had first met Kris. I always wondered if they where family or something ya know.” Brian said looking at the group.
“ She wants Anna to be alone. Why?”
“ Because she cared deeply for her brother and I took that away from her. She always hated me.” Anna said wheeling herself back into the room.
“ I thought you had never met her Anna?” Brian asked looking at her.
“ Once, before the accident. Your right she’s a dead ringer for Kristin and I always wondered if Kristin was sent to Kevin to get rid of me cause of Brandon’s death.”
“ You weren’t driving that night and I don’t understand why she’s blaming you?”
“ Because I took away her brother, she basicly raised him I remember him telling how much she was there for him.” Anna said shaking her head. “ But why take Kevin and now Alex.”
“ We will have to wait and see.” Brian said. “ you should try and rest.”
“ I don’t want to rest I want my brother back. I want my boyfriend back.” Anna said looking at them defiantly. Brian nodded and sat down next to Nick. He could see his young friend was scared two of their friends where already missing would any of them be next.




Kevin jumped when the door opened and Marcus walked threw the door with a bound and gagged AJ over his shoulder.
“ I see you found a way to get yourself free no matter.” He said dropping AJ on the floor. Marcus walked towards Kevin as he smiled evilly.
“ Get away from me” Kevin said backing further into corner. Marcus moved closer and pulled Kevin to his feet and tied Kevin’s arms to the bar that ran along the celing.
“ Let me go.” Kevin said struggling to get free.
“ Shush now.” Marcus said shoving a cloth into Kevin’s mouth and tying it off behind his head. Reaching down he pulled AJ to his feet and hooked AJ’s arms to the bar and watched as AJ’s unconscious form being supported by his bound arms. Marcus laughed a bit as he reached for the ice-cold water and threw it in AJ’s face. AJ’s eyes snapped open as he looked at the man that now held him captive.
“ Welcome to the game Mr. McLean.” He said looking at the anger that was in AJ’s eyes.
“ I am going to leave the two of you alone in here for now. I might be back to let the two of you talk.”
“ Remove the gags let them talk lover.”
“ All right.” Marcus said pulling the gags out of AJ’s and Kevin’s mouth. “ Bye boys.” He said leaving them alone.
“ You ok Jay?” Kevin asked looking at his friend.
“ That freak stood on my porch gave me a package I set it inside I assumed he’d leave instead he put a cloth over my face and I woke up here. Anna has to be so freaked.”
“ How was she?” Kevin asked looking at his friend.
“ Scared. I think she knows who’s doing it.”
“ It’s Kris.” Kevin said sadly.
“ I don’t think that woman is Kris.”
“ I’ve seen her Jay it’s Kris.” Kevin said looking at the floor.
“ The woman I saw wasn’t Kristin. I don’t know what to think.” AJ said. Kevin shook his head and looked at the floor. His arms where beginning to hurt because of the position they where in.




“ How’s Anna?”
“ Resting. I had that doctor friend of mine come and give her something. I hated to have to do it but it had to be done.”
“ Yeah we know Howie. Let her rest for now.”
“ I don’t know what to do. I mean first off we lost Kevin and then we lost AJ. What’s going to happen next? Who’s going to be next?”
“ No one leaves the other alone. We stay together at all times. I wont leave that girl alone.” Brian said looking down the hall.
“ None of us will Bri. She’s family to us to now.” Howie said looking at his friend.
“ Yeah I know but I mean seriously we cant leave her alone for a moment if she finds any one of us out of her site she’ll think we are gone.”
“ She’s resting right now so we don’t have to worry.”
“ Alright. But I don’t see any of us getting any sleep anytime in the future.” Brian said. They all looked up the stairs when they heard Anna’s scream from her room. Howie scrambled up the stairs followed closely by Nick and Brian. Howie opened the door to find Anna sitting up screaming.
“ Honey it’s ok.” Howie said taking her into his arms like he would a younger sister.
“ Oh god he’s gone.” She cried against his chest.
“ We will find them.” Howie soothed, his eyes looked toward Brian and Nick.
“ It was a dream Anna.” Brian said touching her arm. Howie held Anna, running his fingers threw her dark hair, he could feel her calming down and drifting off to sleep again. He waited till she was soundly sleeping before he slid out from under her and headed downstairs.
“ She’s back to sleep. She’s terrified guys.” Howie said sitting down on the couch.
“ We all are she just can’t handle it as well as we can.” Brian said running a shaky hand threw his hair.
“ We are going to get them back.” Nick said looking at them both. “ We have to.”
“ We will Nick.” Howie said looking at his younger friend. He wasn’t really sure if Nick was handling the fact that Kevin and AJ both where missing.




Kevin shifted his weight as he tried to stand more comfortable. He knew it wasn’t going to happen but he tried none the less. He was pissed to say the least since he had been kidnapped and worried about his younger sister. She was helpless and child like some days.
“ What are you thinking?” AJ asked turning his head towards his friend. Kevin looked at AJ and wasn’t sure what to say.
“ Nothing, Anna is going to be worried. I wish they’d let me talk to her.” Kevin said shifting his weight again.
“ I know, before I was kidnapped she was so upset about you being missing. It about killed her.” AJ said looking at his friend.
“ I know Anna is very sensitive about this stuff. I worry about her. Now do you understand why I didn’t want her dating you?” Kevin asked looking at AJ’s eyes.
“ Yeah I understand but you can’t protect her from everything.”
“ I know but this is one thing that bothers me.” Kevin said looking up at his arms. The ropes that held his arms where cutting into his skin he could see the blood running down his arms.
“ I know.” AJ said pulling on the ropes trying to free his arms. “ Son of a bitch.” AJ shouted in pain.
“ What?” Kevin asked looking at his friend.
“ Oh god.” AJ said trying to keep the pain at bay.
“ What the hell did you do?”
“ I just dislocated my fucking shoulder.” AJ said trying to stand up taller to relieve the pain that throbbed threw his now pain filled shoulder.
“ Alex you have to stay awake.” Kevin said watching AJ’s eyes begin to droop and then finally watched as his younger friend stood there nearly unconscious. Kevin moved himself as close as he could to AJ trying to wake his young friend. AJ’s eyes looked up at Kevin’s face, Kevin could see the glassy painful look in AJ’s eyes.

“ Go back in there and gag them and then take a picture. We need to be moving again lover.” Suzie said looking at him. Marcus nodded and headed back into the room where AJ and Kevin where.
“ Hello boys.” Marcus said looking at them. AJ stood there half conscious and said nothing.
“ What do you want?” Kevin asked looking at him. Marcus just smiled and moved forward towards them. He gagged AJ first before he could even protest. And then looked at Kevin.
“ Time for a picture and then we are moving boys.”
“ No, you have asked her for money let us go.” Kevin said trying to free his arms.
“ Actually we haven’t asked her we are torturing her.” Marcus said shoving a gag into Kevin’s mouth. He patted Kevin’s face and stood back away from the angry man. Lifting his poloroid he took several pictures of each of them and then the boys together. Marcus moved forward and touched AJ’s face and then looked at Kevin.
“ Looks like your friend is ill. Hope he lives threw this.” Marcus said heading out of the room. AJ moaned a bit but never opened his eyes. Kevin looked as his friend with sad eyes and then let his eyes rest on the closed door.




Anna sat near the door wondering what she was going to do. She knew the others where busy trying to figure out how to save her brother and her fiancée and now the worry if anyone of them could come up missing. She moved herself to the other side of the room and looked out the window. It was a beautiful night she wondered if Kevin and AJ where doing all right during this time. She worried about them.
“ Where are you Kevin? Alex I hope your safe.” Anna whispered whipping the tears from her face.
“ Hey Anna I didn’t know you where awake.” Howie said entering the room.
“ Couldn’t sleep. How are you guys holding up?”
“ We are doing alright but we are worried about you.” Howie said sitting down
“ I am fine. You hungry?” She asked wheeling herself from the room. Howie shook his head and followed her to the door. He heard a strange noise and headed back into the room, Anna stopped just outside the room waiting for Howie when she heard a gun go off. Hurrying back into the room Anna’s scream filled the house. Nick and Brian rushed up the stairs to find Anna’s wheelchair empty and Howie laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

Oh my god Howie.” Brian said dropping down next to his friend. He began hunting for a pulse and sighing when he felt a faint one.
“ Nick, Nick I need you to call the police and an ambulance.” Brian said looking at Nick. Nick was terrified as he looked at his fallen friend. Brian stood and slapped Nick across the face.
“ Nick, do as your told GO!” Brian said getting his friends attention. Nick ran down the hall to the phone.
“ Stay with me D.” Brian said pressing his hand into the open wound that was now bleeding badly. Brian tried to remain calm as Nick reentered the room. Brian shook his head as tears streamed down his cheeks.
“ Oh god he cant be?” Nick said dropping to his knees next to Howie. Brian shook his head again looking at his young friend.
“ He’s not but he’s close.” Brian said looking at Howie, his lips where turning blue from lack of oxygyn. Brian hoped the ambulance crew would get there soon, his friend was holding on but barely. He held on to Howie’s hand as he waited. He could feel his friend slipping away and that terrified him.




Anna struggled against the man that held her arms behind her. She had watched them shoot Howie twice and now she was sitting on the floor of a van with a man holding her arms behind her a cloth in her mouth. He had been trying for a while to tie her hands and suddenly she felt cold steal on them as they finally handcuffed her arms behind her.
“ What about her legs?”
“ No since in tying them she’s paralyzed.” One of them said. She hadn’t seen them it had been to dark or that could have been because of the cloth they had pulled over her eyes she wasn’t entirely sure.
“ Ok, well are we almost there?”
“ Yeah the place is right up the road here. Won’t worry about it those boys will be nice and surprised with our new guest.”
“ What about Suzie?”
“ She’s going to be pissed cause she didn’t want her taken.”
“ We had no choice it was either that or kill her right there.”
“ She will deal with it”
“ Marcus she might not deal with it. She might kill you.”
“ Nah she loves me.” Marcus said as they pulled into the driveway. He leaned back and pulled Anna over his shoulder and walked inside.
“ Hey baby I’m home.” Marcus said looking at Suzy.
“ What is she doing here?” She asked seeing Anna.
“ Sorry babe it was either this or kill her.”
“ Fine, take her in there and leave her with the boys.”
“ You sure about that?” He said looking at her. Suzie smiled at him and kissed his lips softly.
“ Yes I am sure. But leave her here with me while you go in and move them to the van, baby I found us another place, and we have to move tonight. Then you can move her out there.”
“ Sure thing baby.” Marcus said laying Anna down on the couch and headed into the room where AJ and Kevin where being held.
“ Well it seems I can have some fun with you.” Suzie said, she smiled almost evilly as Anna turned her head trying to find the voice she couldn’t see. Suzie grabbed the front of Anna’s shirt and pulled her into a standing position. She knew that Anna couldn’t stand on her own power and she heard her moan in pain. She backhanded Anna hard causing her head to snap back.
“ Because of you bitch I lost my brother.” Suzie hissed as she almost threw Anna back onto the couch.
“ Baby they’ve been moved out to the van.”
“ Alright get her out there I don’t want her sitting near them, they can see her she can’t see them.”
“ Yes I know this come on we have to get out of here.” Marcus said lifting Anna over his shoulder, he noticed that she was a little more limp than she had been when he had brought her in. Pulling her back from over his shoulder and that was when he noticed the huge bruise forming on what he could see of her cheek.
“ What did you do?” Marcus asked looking at his girl.
“ I hit her.” She hissed looking at him.
“ How hard she’s unconscious.”
“ Too bad she’s the reason we are doing this Marcus just put the bitch in the van.” Suzie said moving away from him. Marcus lay Anna’s unconscious form in the back with Kevin and AJ. Kevin looked down and tried to get out of the ropes that held his arms trying to get to his sister.
“ Might as well stop pretty boy or she dies.” Marcus said looking at Kevin. Kevin let out a low growl and stop struggling, he looked at AJ, he could tell his friend was hurting bad and was in need of medical attention.

Brian paced the waiting room, he had always hated the hospital, he had been there plenty of times and didn’t like it when his friends where there. He looked up as a doctor entered, nudging Nick awake as he stood he extended his hand out to his the doctor.
“ I am Brian Littrell. How is our friend?”
“ He’s resting, the bullet missed major organs but he lost a lot of blood.”
“ Is he alive?” Nick asked looking at the doctor.
“ Barely but yes.”
“ Can we see him?”
“ Soon.”
“ Thank you.” Brian said looking at Nick, he could see that his young friend was about to cry. Brian hugged his young friend and looked up as the doctor came again into the room they where in.
“ You can see him now.” The doctor said leading them down the hall. Nick looked into the room and sighed as he entered, Howie looked so small in the bed, his usually tanned complexion pale, his eyes closed and breathing labored.
“ No machine to help him breath.”
“ No, he is able to breath on his own so we decided that he didn’t need the tube.” The doctor said looking at them. Nick nodded and sat down next to his friend. He looked at Howie and then towards Brian.
“ We could have lost him tonight.”
“ We lost Anna instead. She wasn’t at the house.” Brian said looking at his friends.



Anna moaned as her world slowly came back to her.
“ Welcome back princess.” She heard the male voice that had taken her say.
“ Hmm!”
“ Oh I know you can’t talk but then again neither can the other two. We are moving you.” Marcus said looking down at Anna, he reached down and pulled the blindfold off and discarded it, he watched her try to get her eyes adjusted to the light in the room. Her eyes settled on his face, he watched her eyes narrow in anger.
“ I am sorry.” He whispered to her. Anna looked away from him her eyes locking with AJ’s and Kevin’s she sighed with some relief that they where safe. She felt the van they where in come to a stop.
“ Take them inside.” She heard the woman that hit her say. She still wasn’t sure what she looked like.



Anna lay on the floor of the small room they had been placed in. They had been untied and AJ had removed her gag. She had moved away from him and sat in the corner alone.
“ Babe, talk to me.” AJ said pain filling his voice. Anna looked towards him, her legs out straight in front of her.
“ Come here.” Anna said to him. AJ crawled over to her, Anna placed her hand on AJ’s shoulder and felt around and grabbed his arm and made it pop back into place.
“ Son of a bitch.” AJ said grabbing his shoulder.
“ Did that help?” Anna asked looking into pain filled brown eyes.
“ Yeah I guess.”
“ Sorry, you know how much I hate hurting you.” She said kissing his cheek. She waited for him to get comfortable and then rested her head against his good shoulder.
“ Let me look at that bruise.” Kevin said looking at her.
“ Sure why not it’s not like it’s going anywhere.” Anna said looking at Kevin. Kevin ran his finger over the bruise that took up most of the one side of her face.
“ It will heal but it will take some time.”
“ How much time do we have? She wants us dead. I heard that much.”
“ Why would she want us dead?” AJ asked holding her close.
“ I killed her brother, that’s enough to want me alone or dead or both.” Anna said as tears began to roll down her cheeks.
“ You didn’t kill that drunk, that fucker killed himself. Anna I’m not going to tell you again. I watched you beat yourself up about this stuff five years ago I wont see it again.”
“ You wont have to worry about it long. If we die soon we don’t have to worry about it.” Anna said closing her eyes.
“ We will live through this.” AJ insisted. Anna just sighed and rolled onto her side.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ What are we going to do with them?”
“ I was thinking about killing them, maybe killing the men and having her watch.” Suzie hissed.
“ We can’t kill them Suzie and you very well know that.” Marcus said looking at his girl. Suzie turned her dark eyes towards him and growled.
“ I will kill them if I chose.”
“ You can’t, we nearly killed that Dorough man and he saw what I look like. She might not be able to turn us in but he can. And by god I will not die or go to jail over this.” Marcus

Suzie growled and slapped him hard across the face.
“ This was my idea and neither one of us will go to jail.”
‘” The fuck we wont. Suzie, think about this before you do something utterly stupid.” Marcus said walking away from her. Suzie grumbled something and walked into the room. Kevin looked up from where he was and backed away from her.
“ What do you want?” Kevin asked looking at her.
“ Actually I want her.” Suzie said pointing at Anna. Anna rolled back over and looked at her.
“ Why?” Anna asked looking at Suzie.
“ I want you.” Suzie said grabbing Anna and lifting her up and dragged her from the room. Anna didn’t even bother to struggle with her as Suzie shoved her onto the couch. Anna looked up at her and then back down at the floor.
“ You killed my brother.” Suzie hissed grabbing Anna’s shirt and lifted her off the couch.
“ He was the one drinking. I told him I wanted to drive, he insisted that he drive, I would have rather died that instead of him. Instead I am stuck in a wheelchair. No chance of ever being able to use my legs. And all you can say is boohoo I’ve lost my brother. I’ve lost my life.” Anna yelled at her. Suzie looked at her and dropped Anna back down onto the couch. Suzie looked at her with disbelief.
“ There is no way you felt that way.”
“ You never bothered to fucking ask. You just instantly blamed me for his death, never bothered to find out what had caused the accident that night. He was fucking drunk, I had begged him to let me drive. Instead I let him drive, not before he had hit me. My family thought the cut on my face was caused by the accident, it wasn’t because of that it was because he had hit me. I was so afraid of what he’d do I finally just got into the car only to find out that it was the worst mistake I could have ever made.” Anna said as tears slid down her cheeks. Marcus stood in the doorway and listened to the two women. He knew that Suzie hadn’t know the entire story and hadn’t bothered to find out.
“ It’s not true.”
“ You weren’t around, you where never around. He was always angry. Always angry because you where never around. He called you and if you weren’t home he’d call me and we’d get together and he’d yell at me and beat me. Kevin didn’t know this. I loved Brandon.” Anna said
“ Why do you suddenly tell me this?”
“ You wanted to know everything. You wanted to know why I lived and he didn’t.”
“ He didn’t live because of you.”
“ I fell out of the car. Do you want to know what happened that night?” Anna asked looking at her. Suzie sat down in the chair across from Anna and watched her.
“ You’re going to tell me.” Suzie said looking at her.
“ Only if you are willing to actually listen.” Anna spat. Suzie nodded and waited.

~~~~~~~~~~~~Flash Back May 1995~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Anna stood there in her room while her mom and aunt helped her with her dress and hair.
“ Are you ready for the prom?” She heard her brother call up the stairs.
“ Almost is Brandon here?” She called down the stairs.
“ Not yet, but I have a feeling he’ll be here soon. You three best hurry. Don’t forget to get lots of pictures. Kevin wanted us to send him some.”
“ Yes Jerold we know this. The camera is down there.” Ann yelled down the stairs. Ann looked at her daughter and smiled.
“ Come on we best get down there before your brother has a heart attack.” Ann said
Anna walked down the stairs and smiled as her brother took a picture. Anna smiled as she looked at Brandon standing there in the doorway with a corsage.
“ You look beautiful.” He said kissing her softly. Anna let Brandon place the corsage on her wrist and led her out to his car. He waited for her to get in and then ran around the other side. They arrived at the high school a short time later. Brandon led her into the building and stopped long enough for them to have pictures taken and then he led her into the building. They had stopped for a nice dinner shortly before arriving at the school. Brandon was older than Anna by two years so he had ordered himself a drink and had gotten one. It upset her that he had even one drink but decided not to let that fact ruin their evening. They had danced and enjoyed the evening at the prom and Anna’s best friend Morgan was crowned Queen of the prom and they had decided to go to an after prom party at one of the football players homes. Of course his parents where rich and out of town. There was everyone imaginable at that party and Anna had brought a change of cloths and had changed into her favorite Capri pants and matching shirt. She was dancing with her friend when she saw Brandon out of the corner of her eye. She could see he had been drinking and decided to ask him for his keys.
“ Brandon, give me the keys.”
“ No.” He slurred looking into her eyes.
“ Your drunk. I am calling my mom and having her pick me up.”
“ You don’t need to do that. I brought you here I’ll take you home.” He shouted at her. Anna looked at him and then at the group that was now staring at them.
“ Fine.” She growled figuring she could get the keys from him outside. She followed him from the party, stopping long enough to tell her friends that she was leaving and that she’d seen them at school on Monday. Running behind him she grabbed his arm and stopped him from getting into the car.
“ Give me the damned keys. Brandon your drunk out of your mind and I don’t want us getting killed.” Anna said looking at him. She stood there with her right hand extended and her left hand on his arm.
“ No. Now bitch get into the car.” He said backhanding her. Anna fell backwards onto the gravel cutting her leg and hands. Getting up and dusting herself off she slid into the car and prayed that he’d get her home alive. They headed down the dirt road towards the main road to head back into town and then to the other side of town to her house. She hated this it was dark and of course her luck it had started to rain. She reached forward and turned on the radio and then looked at Brandon. He was quietly watching the road, every once in a while his hands would leave the wheel, especially his right hand cause it was always on her hip.
“ Brandon just watch the road.” Anna hissed moving his hand. Brandon grumbled something and then ran his hand up her leg again. Anna finally smacked him hard and then looked up to see headlights in their lane.
“ BRANDON! WATCH OUT!” She screamed, she felt the impact of the oncoming car and then her door swung open and she flew from the car. The last thing she remembered was hearing an explosion before her world went black.


She woke three days later, she looked around where she was confused, her eyes focused on the balloons and the flowers that filled the room and then she looked at the side of the bed to find Kevin sitting there.
“ Kevin.” She said, barely recognizing her own voice. Kevin’s head snapped up and he looked at her.
“ Anna, your awake.”
“ What happened?” Anna asked, she could barely move and wanted to know what happened.
“ There was an accident.” Kevin said looking at her. “ Let me go get mom and tell her your awake.” He said kissing her forehead.
“ I can’t feel my legs.” Anna said fear filling her voice.
“ I know baby I know.” Kevin said whipping the tears away. Kevin opened the door to the room and saw his mother standing there talking to the doctor.
“ She’s awake.” Kevin said, his voice low, he wasn’t sure she had heard it. Ann looked towards her youngest son and nodded.
“ She doesn’t know what happened.” Kevin said looking at his mother.
“ Nothing?”
“ She’s confused about what happened.”
“ That happens. Give her time she will remember everything.” The doctor explained. Kevin nodded and ushered his mother back into the room. Anne was crying sitting up and looking at her now immobile legs.
“ Where is Brandon?” She asked looking towards her mother and brother. Ann looked at her and sighed.
“ He didn’t make it.”
“ He didn’t make what? Mom?”
“ He’s dead honey. You where thrown from the car upon impact.”
“ What about my legs? Will the feeling return?”
“ No, baby it wont. Your back has been broken, the spine was completely sevored.” Ann said to her daughter. Anna let out a chocked sob. Kevin moved over and pulled his sister into his arms and looked up at his brothers that now stood in the doorway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~End Flashback ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Anna looked at Suzie and could see the tears that rolled down Suzie’s cheeks.
“ He brought it upon himself, but I didn’t want him to die. I would never have wished that on him. I miss him everyday. I have pictures. If you want them I’ll give you the last pictures we had taken. But I want you to know that if this is why you want to kill us, then know this your killing four people not three.” Anna said looking at Suzie.
“ What?”
“ I’m Pregnant. I found out before Kevin came up missing. It’s Alex’s but had Brandon lived it would have been his. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. I had thought that was what was going to happen, but that night ended it all. It ended my life. Yes I’ve moved on with Alex now but for 5 years I was afraid of letting any man into my heart because it hurt so much.” Anna said looking at her. “ Just let us go. We will not tell anyone that this happened.”
“ It’s all over the news that Kevin was kidnapped and you where told not to tell the press.”
“ I didn’t. His manager did. Just let us go and no one will be the wiser.” Anna said looking at her. Suzie looked towards the door and saw Marcus standing there.
“ Take her back in there with them. I need to think.” Suzie said storming from the room. Marcus nodded and lifted Anna into his arms and carried her back into the room. He set her gently on the floor and then walked from the room.

“ What happened?” Kevin asked looking at Anna.
“ I talked to her.” Anna said matter of factlly.
“ Talked to her about what?”
“ Bout what happened the night the of the accident.”
“ Everything?”
“ Everything as I know it. Everything up till you saw me in the hospital three days after the accident.”
“ Oh. What about us leaving here?”
“ I don’t know. She had Marcus bring me back in here and said she needed to think.” Anna said sliding down and finally laying on her back and closing her eyes.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

“ What are you going to do?” Marcus asked her. Suzie looked at him and shrugged her shoulders.
“ I don’t know. She told me a lot about what happened. Something even my parents didn’t bother to tell me. Mom was blaming her for the death of her only son. I never realized that there was a real person involved in all this. She was just someone I could blame for this.” Suzie said looking at him.
“ Let them go. Suzie, let them go.” Marcus said holding Suzie in his arms.
“ How?”
“ Bind and gag them again. Blindfold them and leave them in the van. We can take the car and then call the police and tell them where they can find them.”
“ I suppose. Have Mickey help you. Get them out to the van.”
“ Alright. Just get the car and be ready.” Marcus said heading into the room. Kevin looked up as Marcus entered the room.
“ We’re moving you.” Marcus said, his voice void of feeling as Mickey entered the room with rope and stuff to gag them with. Anna looked up at them and then backed away. Marcus grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her and tied them securely and then gagged her, pulling another cloth over her eyes he leaned down and whispered in her ear.
“ She’s letting you go.” Marcus whispered to her. Marcus moved over and tied Kevin as Mickey tied AJ. He then carried Anna from the room and set her in the van. Once they where all in the van he looked at the three people and then looked at Mickey. He closed the door and moved Mickey away from the van.
“ Take the van and drop it off just outside the local cop shop. Make sure your not seen. Meet us at Super 8 market and we will get the hell out of here.”
“ Do I kill them?”
“ No, matter of fact leave the van in the alleyway near the police station. I’ll call them when we are out of town.”
“ That could take us hours.”
“ Who cares? Just do it.” Marcus hissed. Mickey nodded and headed into the van and drove off.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“ Why haven’t they been found yet?” Howie asked, his chest was hurting every time he’d take a deep breath. Brian hadn’t left his friends side the entire time he was in the hospital and now at the house he was still hovering.
“ I don’t know.” Brian said sitting down on the couch.
“ They have to found soon. It’s been nearly a week since AJ came up missing and at least that since Anna. Man they have to be found.” Nick said. Howie reached over and grabbed the phone as it rang.
“ Hello?”
“ This is detective Olsen. We found your friends.”
“ Thank you we will be right there.” Howie said hanging up.
“ Where?”
“ They’ve been found.” Howie said heading out of the room. Brian quickly followed him and Nick seemed to snap out of his trance and took off. Stopping first to grab Anna’s wheelchair.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They weren’t even sure how long they had been laying in the van when they heard a noise. Since none of them could see Kevin felt his way to his sister and tried his best to shield her from the unseen attackers. Kevin tensed when the blindfold was removed and he saw a police officer.
“ Your safe.” The officer said as he pulled Kevin gently from the van and untied him.
“ My sister.” Kevin said looking towards her still bound and gagged form.
“ We are helping her. Go with this paramedic.” The officer said sending Kevin with the medic that stood near the van. He then reached inside and untied Anna. He slid her from the van and helped her stand and then nearly released her when AJ reached from where he was. The officer that had just untied him looked at him strangely.
“ She’s paralyzed.” AJ whispered wrapping his arms around Anna’s waist till he could climb from the van and lift her into his arms. His shoulder was killing him but he wasn’t going to let that stop him from holding his girl and walking her to freedom. He walked over to the ambulance and set her down next to Kevin.
“ Check his shoulder.” Kevin said looking at AJ. The Paramedic nodded and began probing AJ’s shoulder.
“ He dislocated it. I put it back in earlier yesterday I think.” Anna said holding AJ’s hand.
“ Very good work. We might need to get an x-ray of it but it seems to be set just fine.” The paramedic said putting AJ’s arm in a sling. “ We’d like to take you to the hospital.”
“ I’d rather go there on my own.” AJ grumbled.
“ Yeah we’d rather find our other friends and come to the hospital after.” Kevin said.
“ Alright.”
“ We are going to need a statement.” The police officer said.
“ That’d be fine.” AJ said looking at Anna. Kevin lifted Anna into his arms and headed to follow the officer back to the police station.

Brian nearly ran into the police station and nearly ran into Kevin.
“ Oh god.” Brian said pulling Kevin into a tight hug. Kevin hugged Brian and then looked at Howie.
“ How bad is it?”
“ Not to bad I spent a week in the hospital but I am doing fine. They thought I was going to die.”
“ Howie. I am glad to see you’re alright.” Anna said looking at him from where she sat on one of the benches. Howie sat down next to her and hugged her.
“ All I saw was that man with a gun, he shot me. I wanted to protect you.” Howie said to her.
“ I saw him. Not his face but I saw him. I saw his face after the fact. And it was my talking to Suzie.”
“ Are you pressing charges?” The officer asked.
“ No, I don’t wish to press charges. We where released and unharmed.”
“ What of his shoulder?”
“ I did that to myself.”
“ And of your friend being shot?”
“ That’s up to Howie if he wants to press charges. That’s up to him.” Anna said looking at her friend.
“ I don’t want to. I just want this over.” Howie said looking at the officer.
“ Alright then your all free to go.” The officer said. Nick moved forward and picked up Anna.
“ I brought your chair.” Nick said setting her down in the chair. Anna smiled and kissed his cheek.
“ Thanks.” She said looking towards AJ. “ Let’s get that shoulder looked at.” She said to him. AJ nodded and headed towards the waiting car. They arrived at the hospital a short time later. Anna sat in the waiting room with everyone else as they took AJ to the back. She hated the fact that he had been hurt at all but at least they where safe and alive. Anna looked up as she saw two people enter the waiting room.
“ Suzie?” Anna said looking at her.
“ I thought I’d come and see how everything was.” Suzie said. She looked towards Howie and then at Marcus.
“ I’m sorry about that.” She said looking at him.
“ At least we’ve worked out our problem.” Howie said to her. Suzie nodded and smiled.
“ Very much so.” Suzie said. “ So how is the little one?” She asked looking at Anna. Kevin looked towards his sister and then back at Suzie.
“ Little one?” Kevin said.
“ I’m pregnant Kevin. I found out just before you came up missing.”
“ Does Alex know?”
“ Not yet. But as soon as he’s done with the doctor I’ll tell him.”
“ Tell him what?” AJ asked coming from the back, his arm in a sling across his chest.
“ That I’m pregnant.” Anna said with a smile.
“ Oh my god you’re kidding?” AJ said with a smile.
“ Nope. I’d say about four months. And it’s going to be a boy.” She said with a smile.
“ That is so great. We have to get married first.” AJ said suddenly.
“ Really?” Anna said. He hadn’t even talked about marriage before and now suddenly finding out she was pregnant he was talking about it. “ I don’t want you to marry me because I’m pregnant.”
“ I want to marry you because you’re my life, you’re my soul. You’re my everything.” AJ said leaning down and kissing her sweetly.