Title: Hide In Plain Sight 20/20
Author: Red (redfirewitch@yahoo.com)
Note: I started this story on the 1st of July 2000! And I'm ending it on the 6th of February 2001. That's about 6 months and 50,000 words! Yikes
Dedication: This last part is for the three who were with this story from Chapter 1. Jackie, Jayne and Wen. I still have your first feedbacks to me! Lol! Thank you for your countless encouragement since.
Thank yous: I have to thank the following incredible authors; Diana Martin, Dara Lynn, Wen, Joie and Alec for inspiring me. Alec! Don't forget our deal!
Finally, thank you to all you readers who have followed the series. I would have given up long ago if it wasn't for you peeps!
**************************** Chapter 20 - Burning Bright ****************************
Snap!
He had done it. He had managed to get his hand free. He quickly used his free left hand to grab the jagged glass piece more firmly and started to cut through the rope that held his right hand. He didn't even notice the pain from the cuts on his hand or the blood staining the ropes and sheets. All he knew was that he was going to be freed in a few more seconds.
'How long has it been already? How long has it been already? What was that sound? Was it....faster! Faster!'
The rope holding his right hand snapped and JC sat up on the bed and began to work on untying the ropes holding his feet. He had to hurry. He didn't know how much longer he had. Phillip could be back anytime. Even if he could have fought back Phillip on a normal day, he couldn't now. His body was too weak from exhaustion and blood loss. It was going to take all his strength to try and get back to the main road.
The ropes holding his feet were undone and JC kicked free of them. Gingerly he got off the bed, fighting off the dizziness that threatened to overwhelm him. He held on to the wall of the cabin and slowly moved to the door. The sun was setting slowly and soon it would be too dark. He needed to move faster. Just then he heard the sound of the van.
'No!'
**
It looked like a procession with the only difference being that the cars were speeding down the road. Justin sat with Elli in the back Detective Pasco's car. They were the last car behind the patrol cars and the swat team's vehicle. The detective was in constant communication with the patrol car which Matt was in.
Matt gave them the precise directions to the cabin. Justin couldn't help but wonder why Matt was cooperating all of a sudden. Did it finally dawn on him that he was going to jail? That this was his only chance to get a plea bargain? Still Justin didn't trust Matt.
"What if it's a trick? What if he's bringing us further away from JC?" Justin asked.
"It's a risk we have to take. But my instincts tell me that he's telling the truth." Elli said.
"A few more minutes and we'll be there." Pasco said.
Justin closed his eyes tight and prayed. 'God please, let Josh be unharmed. Please! He's suffered enough already. Please spare him more pain.'
Justin opened his eyes and looked at the passing trees. "Hang on, Josh. We're coming."
**
"Honey! I'm home!" Phillip's voice rang though the cabin.
JC hurriedly pulled his legs over the window. There! Finally he was out! He stumbled but regained his balance quickly. It was so hard to breathe. So hard to move but he had to get away from Phillip.
'Have to warn Justin.'
"How are you...FUCK! WHERE THE HELL..." Phillip's face appeared in the window. JC saw him and started to run. He knew he had a head start because Phillip would not be able to squeeze through that small window the way he had been able to do so. But was it enough?
"THERE'S NO WHERE FOR YOU TO GO! DON'T MAKE THIS MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOURSELF!" Phillip's voice echoed through the forest.
He was running. He felt like he was running but he didn't seem to be getting very far. Everywhere, there were trees blocking him, roots tripping him and slowing him down. He heard the sound of the cabin door swing open but he didn't turn around to look. He had to get away!
"CAN'T GET VERY FAR, BOY! THERE'S NO ONE TO RUN TO!" Phillip's voice was much nearer now.
'Got to run! Got to run! Have to get to Justin and warn him! Got to....oommph' JC stumbled and fell. His hands and feet scrambled on the ground trying to gain purchase.
"Oh you poor thing. Tripped, did ya? Let me kiss it and make it better."
JC turned around in terror and fell on his back. Phillip stood there grinning. A gun was in his hand pointed straight at JC.
"I told you that you were only making things harder for yourself, pretty boy. But you never listen." Phillip said, coming closer to JC.
No! No! He had to get away! He had to warn Justin!
"You could have been comfortable back at the cabin but you had to do it the hard way.'
'Just like Liam. If he had kept his mouth shut, we wouldn't be here and he would be alive. Not that it's any skin off my back that he's dead. The bastard was always trying to replace me. Ha! But in the end, I replaced him permanently!'
For a moment, his dream flashed in JC's mind. Liam's dead body and Phillip breaking his neck. Then heading for Justin.
'God no! Justin!'
JC tried to get up but Phillip placed his foot on JC's chest and pushed him back down. "Get on your knees!"
JC just stared at Phillip, not registering the words. He was functioning on instincts and fear and was beyond basic comprehension.
"I SAID ON YOUR KNEES!"
Nothing. Phillip pushed JC on his back and straddled his thighs. JC's eyes were wide with fear. But all he could do was look on his terror. He couldn't even move.
Phillip smirked. "You're really far gone, aren't cha, boy?" he said and began to remove JC's clothes.
JC focused his eyes on the purple sky over his head. The sun had almost set and very little light was available. The birds were noisy as they were settling in their nests. The crickets were already out. It was nice except that someone was pushing him into the ground, tearing at his clothes, scratching him. But he couldn't stop them. He was just so tired.
Then suddenly, he heard a shout. "Don't move!" The weight on him immediately lifted and a shot rang out. It was then followed by two more sharper shots. And then all was quiet. JC wondered where the birds and crickets had gone.
The sound of shuffling feet on dried leaves. The sound of voices. And then someone was beside him, calling his name. "Mr. Chasez? Can you hear me? Mr. Chasez? Joshua?"
It wasn't Phillip. It wasn't Matt. It was someone else. Someone else! He can tell them to warn Justin for him!
JC sat up with the help from the man beside him. His eyes were frantic as he grabbed the man's hand. "Warn Justin! Phillip will come for him! Tell Justin not to trust Matt!"
The captain of the swat team looked at JC, sympathetically. "You're ok now. Phillip is dead. He can't hurt anyone."
"No! He's not dead! I'm not lying! Please! You've got to tell Justin!" JC said, with tears in his eyes. "I wasn't making it up! It is true! I'm not lying!"
"Yes sir, we know." The other members of the unit gestured at the captain and whispered something to him. The captain nodded. "Everything is ok, now."
JC shook his head. "Phillip isn't dead. Phillip is alive. He's alive."
"Yes. He was alive but now he's dead. We had to shoot him because he was about to shoot us. Phillip is really dead now."
All JC could do was shake his head. "No. He's alive. He's going to hurt Justin. I have to warn Justin."
The captain looked behind him and then turned back to JC. "Would you like to tell Justin yourself?" he asked kindly.
JC took a while to register the words. Tell Justin himself. Yes. He wanted to tell Justin himself. Even if Justin didn't believe him, he had to tell him by himself. But how? He had to get to Justin.
"Josh?"
JC blinked. Was that Justin's voice?
"Josh?" This time the voice was accompanied by a touch on his shoulder.
JC looked up. And there was Justin.
"Justin?"
"Yeah. It's ok, Josh. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you anymore."
JC grabbed Justin shoulder and began to shout. "HE'S ALIVE! PHILLIP'S ALIVE! I'M NOT LYING!"
Justin placed his hands on JC's face and tried to clam him down. "I know, Josh! I believe you! You weren't lying! But now he's really dead!"
JC didn't even seem to hear the words. Tears ran down his face and his whole body hitched with sobs. "Please Justin! I'm...hic...I'm not lying! Matt wants Phillip...hic... to kill me! But...hic... Phillip will also...hic...also kill him and you! I know he will!"
Justin started to cry too. He pulled JC into a tight embrace, burying his face in JC's hair and looked helplessly at Elli who was standing beside him. "I know you are not lying, baby. I know. But you've got to believe me! Everything's ok now. Matt's going to jail. Phillip's dead. No one's going to hurt you or me or the guys or anyone. We are all safe now."
JC just shook his head and sobbed.
"He's probably in shock from blood loss and exhaustion. We have to get him some medical attention." Elli said.
Justin nodded and tried to pull away from JC but he wouldn't let go. "Sssh, it's ok." Justin pulled away with more force and helped JC put his shirt back on. Justin then stood up along with JC and supported him as Elli and a couple of policemen led the embracing couple towards the waiting cars.
Feeling a sticky moisture on his skin, Justin looked down and saw the bleeding wounds on both of JC's wrist and hands. His heart ached at the thought of the desperation that JC must have felt, trying to get away, trying to get to him. At that moment Justin looked up, searching for Matt. Matt was standing between two policemen near the cabin. staring right at Justin and JC. Even from that distance of a few feet, Justin could see the cold anger in Matt's eyes. Justin glared at him with intense hatred for what he had put JC through. The bastard deserved everything he got.
"He doesn't deserve you, Justin. He's nothing now. Just look at him! Pathetic!" Matt said.
"Fuck you, bastard! You're going to jail for a long time!" Justin said.
"I did it all for you, Justin. I'll do anything for you. And I have to do this too. I'm sorry."
Everything occurred in a flash. One moment, Matt was standing there in handcuffs. The next moment, he had pushed one of the cops away and grabbed his gun. Then he aimed and for the second time that evening, a series of gun shots disturbed the peace of the forests.
Justin found himself on the ground along with JC and Elli. He lifted his head and saw Matt's unmoving form, laying at the exact same spot where he had been standing just a while ago. The gun was still in his hands. One of the cops, kept his weapon trained on Matt's body while the other kicked the gun away from Matt's hand. He then bent down and felt for Matt's pulse. He shook his head and everyone relaxed.
Justin kept staring. What had happened? Matt had aimed at him. Matt had wanted to kill him. Then someone had pushed him to the ground. Justin sat up, wanting to hold JC in his arms again and comfort him.
"JC?"
"Justin! Are you ok?" JC asked, with desperation. Justin couldn't help but smile. No matter what happened, JC always looked out for him. Always loved him.
"I'm fine. I..." That's when he saw it. The blood. So much blood all over JC. And a gaping wound in JC's stomach..
"NO!!! FUCK!!! HELP US! SOMEBODY HELP US!" Justin yelled. Justin scrambled to JC, kneeling beside him and put pressure on the wound, looking on in abject terror. "God please no!!!"
The medics rushed to JC's side and checked for JC's pulse. "We're losing him. Start CPR!
Justin let them take over, barely aware of the activity. He shook his head and started crying. "Josh! You can't do this! Please don't die! I love you!"
Justin rested his forehead against JC's clammy one's and began to whisper again and again. "I love you! Please don't leave me!"
The sounds around him were fading but JC heard the words and wanted desperately to tell Justin the very same words back. But he couldn't see. The inky blackness covered his sight as his eyes closed in drowsiness. Justin's voice was fading away too now. A part of him fought to stay awake, fearing the beckoning comfort of unconsciousness, but it was overwhelmed by his tired mind and body. He fought too hard for too long. He didn't want to fight any more.
** The last strains of Amazing Grace had faded minutes ago but Justin still stood in front of the grave silently. Dark glasses hid his blue eyes. The funeral had been a quiet, negligible affair and that had surprised no one.
Justin just stared at the epitaph under the name and date. It was a simple and yet impossible directive.
'Rest in Peace'
They still didn't know who Matt had been aiming for, JC or Justin. Elli said that Matt could have given the directions without having to follow along but probably had wanted to come along so that he could kill JC. However, in the brief moment when Justin had looked into Matt's eyes, he had seen a glimpse of madness and not jealousy. Matt had wanted him dead.
How had that obsession grown? How had he not seen the evil in Matt? Justin still shuddered when he remembered the words of love they had spoken to each and the touches they had shared. It made him feel filthy. Justin tried to forgive Matt. He spoke to his pastor and his therapist trying to find some way to forgive Matt. But he knew the reason that he couldn't was because of JC.
Justin reached up and removed the glasses, looking at the grave in front of him. His blues eyes spat venom at the gray slab. "I hope you burn in hell, you bastard."
With that, Justin left the graveside of Matt Vance and never looked back again.
**
"...and I told him that I was putting him on a diet. Of course you know your dad, Josh, he couldn't even get through the first day. I raided his pants pocket and found four different candy wrappers! That man! You would think that after 50 years, he would have learned to cover his tracks!" Karen Chasez said., smiling and shaking her head. She stood up and adjusted the blanket around her son. Then running her hand over his forehead, she blinked back tears.
"Hi Karen."
Karen turned around to see Justin standing near the door to the private hospital room.
"Hi sweetie! What are you doing here? I thought I told you to get some rest!"
"I couldn't sleep." Justin said and came over to the other side of the bed. He leaned down and kissed JC on the forehead. "Hi baby."
JC slept on.
"He's so beautiful." Justin murmured.
Karen smiled. "I think he's already won all the nurses' hearts. Every hour, at least five of them come in here to check those charts."
"That's Josh. He can charm anyone. Even in sleep." Justin said.
Karen smiled. Then it faded. "Sometimes I wonder if he will ever wake up."
Justin reached across Josh to take Karen's hand. "He will."
"But they said that the longer he stays in the coma..."
"He will." Justin repeated again. His eyes met Karen's with determination and strength.
Karen drew strength from him. She smiled and patted Justin's hand. Wiping away her tears, she looked back down at JC. "I'm going home now, sweetie. Heather will be coming to keep you company. And Justin if you feel tired, please go home. I don't want you to fall ill!"
"I know. I will go home if I'm tired."
Karen gave him a look that said that she didn't believe a word of that. She shook her head. "If you see Heather, tell her that I'll be back at four."
"Ok. Bye Karen."
"Bye Justin"
Justin watched as Karen kissed her son's forehead and ran her hand over his hair. Then she sighed and left the room. Justin closed the door to the private hospital room and came back to JC's side. He lay down on the bed beside JC, on his side, resting his head besides JC's on the pillow. He inhaled the scent of JC's hair and sighed.
"You've got to wake up, Josh. It's not a matter of choice. I know you love to sleep, but this is ridiculous, baby" Justin said with a smile.
JC slept on.
"Do you know that they are constantly sticking you with needles here? I know that you hate that."
JC slept on.
"Everyone is waiting for you, Josh. Joey, Chris, Lance, your mom and dad, Heather, Tyler, my family, the Pack, Johnny, Christina, Britney, Dale, TJ, Nikki. Especially the fans, Josh. It's crazy out there because you're in here sleeping. They scream and cry for you always."
JC slept on.
"I'm waiting for you too, Josh. I know you'll wake up. You're my phoenix, Josh. You burned but you'll be reborn. I know you will. I'll wait for you no matter how long it takes."
Justin leaned forward and kissed JC on the lips.
"I love you."
JC slept on.
**
THE END!!! COLLEEN! STEP AWAY FROM THE KNIVES!!!