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Chapter 4


Muffling a yawn against the back of his hand, AJ immediately straightened his posture when he noticed the familiar landmarks that reminded him so much of his home. He had been driving continuously for three hours and his body was starting to ache. An entire day had passed with no sleep and at least an entire month had gone by without any means of adequate sleep. He just hoped that having Adrienne and Josette in his home would help provide him with some decent sleep. Something about Josette’s simmering cocoa eyes calmed him considerably. He felt comforted whenever she was near, though he’d never admit that to her. After all, he had just met her after both of them had experienced tragic ordeals. Besides, when he glanced into the rearview mirror, he noticed the way she cradled Adrienne protectively in her arms. Gingerly, her fingers brushed through Adrienne’s locks in a soothing manner, though the younger sister was no where near asleep. For the past three hours, she had barely cat-napped. She would be close to a deep sleep and suddenly jerk awake with a muffled cry. Every time this occurred, tears would spring to Josette’s worried eyes. He hoped he could do something to help them. Anything, really. “…Hey, we’re almost home.”

Nodding, Josette, met his eyes in the rearview mirror, offering him a soft smile before she dropped her gaze. She hoped that the pain relievers the doctor had prescribed would help Adrienne get some sleep. It seemed that just when she neared sleep something disturbed her. Probably the unmistakably male snores coming from Nick, who was sprawled in the front passenger seat as though he had no cares whatsoever. Glancing towards him, she shuddered with disgust when she saw one large hand cupping his crotch. Resisting the urge to kick his head with her uninjured foot, she rested her chin atop Adrienne's head gently, looking out the window but not seeing the sparkling ocean to their right.

“You guys are going to have the best vacation ever at my house…” AJ continued, glancing up to the rearview mirror once more to see that Adrienne briefly glanced his way before turning her gaze back to the window. Realizing that she was listening, he gripped the steering wheel a little more force, his smile widening into a grin. “I’ve got a pool that is both indoors and outdoors and a jacuzzi. I’ve also got a fantastic movie theatre with a remote control that controls everything in the entire room. The couches are the most comfortable in the world. I’ve had them appraised, y’know. I also have my own private beach and Nick has boats that we can borrow if you want to go out for the day--”

"I don't know how to swim," Josette interrupted softly. "Adie always says that's 'cause I prefer to lounge around the pool in my skimpy bikinis soaking up the sun-"

“I’m sure the cabana boys thank you immensely for not learning how to swim,” AJ teased gently, wetting his bottom lip with interest at the mere creative image forming in his mind. Shifting, he hurriedly cleared his throat in hopes to ward off the warmth that boiled beneath his belly. “I have no problem teaching you how to swim or just letting you lounge by the pool in a bathing suit. Whatever you want to do.”

"I don't have a suit… Can I call Father when we get to the house? I'll see if he can wire some money to us," Josette decided, carefully stretching her leg out to rest her foot on the console between the front seats. That was, if Father would even accept her call. If Mother had told him what had happened, he may refuse to speak to her, muttering some legal terms to his secretary to pass on.

“You’re not prisoners of the house, Josette. You can do whatever you want,” AJ gently promised, reaching back to tentatively run his hand against her leg. He knew it was a bold move, but he just wanted to prove that he cared about her well being. “And, if your father doesn’t have the means to wire you some money, I’d be happy to pay for anything you need. I’ll even take you on a major shopping trip. God, I love to shop.”

"I've always loved to shop," Josette mused softly, feeling the muscles of her leg relax under his gentle touch. Adrienne shifted to give her a bemused look before turning her attention back out the window. Her sister tensed slightly when AJ slowed for a turn, and Josette peered out the window to see their home for the next month. His hand continued to rest on her leg, the relaxing effects of his gentle caress slowly emanating throughout her body.

“We’ll go shopping as soon as you feel up to it,” AJ promised, lifting his arm for a moment to control the steering wheel as he used his opposite hand to key in the code for his front gate. “Both of you.”

"Thank you, Alex," she murmured, stooping to retrieve the bag with their medicines and printouts. Turning to Adrienne, she covered her sister's hand with her own. "You'll let AJ carry you inside, won't you, Adie?"

Adrienne’s light cinnamon eyes widened in surprise at her older sister’s suggestion and she furiously shook her head. She would not be carried inside a strange house by a strange man again, no matter how trusting he seemed to be. Besides, it wasn’t as if her legs had been broken. Yes, the pain was terrible in her lower half and she had to walk quite awkwardly to avoid any friction, but she would not let him carry her.

"It's okay," AJ promised from the front seat, easing to a stop in front of the side door. "I can understand…"

"Where are we?" Nick yelped when the car stopped and his head slid from his shoulder.

“We’re at my house,” AJ answered, pulling the keys from the ignition before opening his door. Sliding off the seat, he hurried around to open the back door for the women, though his face screwed into disbelief when Nick lurched out of his seat to watch. “You can go collect your stuff and get the Hell out of here, y’know.”

"I can hang around for a while," Nick announced.

"Thank God for the little blessings in life," Josette muttered under her breath as she accepted AJ's hand to help her out. Taking her crutches, she leaned against them, offering Adie her free hand for assistance as AJ moved to open the door.

“I’m so happy that you feel the same way, Peaches,” Nick murmured quite snottily toward the eldest sister after hearing her nasty comment. Shrugging off the scowl she gave, far too use to the scorn of a woman because of his three psychotic sisters, he moved to get into the backseat when Adrienne finally clamored out. Though, when he grabbed a duffle bag and pulled back, he realized he had gotten too close when she gasped and immediately whirled to the opposite side of her sister. “I was just getting the bags, see?” he announced, gesturing toward the bags in his hands, though, he noticed the paleness of her features and the cloudiness of her eyes. “Are you alright?”

"If you're making yourself useful, Nick, c'mon," AJ hollered from the stoop, scowling when he saw Adrienne's frightened scramble to hide behind Josette. Rushing down the steps, he grasped Nick's arm and jerked him in the direction of the door before turning to the sisters. "It's okay… As soon as he gets the bags inside I'll send him on his way, I promise."

“I’d be overwhelmingly grateful if you could do that for us,” Josette admitted with great relief, rubbing her fingers over Adrienne’s hand in a soothing manner. She could actually feel the flutter of Adrienne’s heart against her back as she clung close. Resisting the urge to simply fling the crutch toward the back of the blonde’s head as he marched up the stoop, she reluctantly hobbled in the same direction when AJ gestured for her to follow.

“Oh! Before I forget, I have to tell you that I have a lot of--” AJ groaned in disbelief when Nick kicked open the front door after finding the hidden key on the stoop, never bothering to realize that the dogs had been pent up for several days with only Kevin and Kristin periodically visiting to give them attention. In a flood of playful barks, yips, and pants, five abundantly energetic dogs came tearing down the stairs and toward the newcomers.

"No, please, don't jump on my-" Josette cut off with a yelp when the largest of dogs bounded towards her, his front paws landing on her hips as he leaned up to greet her. Tottering dangerously on her crutches, she glanced wildly about to see Adrienne was leaning over to greet the others. An overweight bulldog lumbered towards her, his wrinkled face nudging one crutch, sending Josette flying to her backside on the paved driveway.

“Damnit, Bernie! Damnit, Tank! What have I told you two about being gentlemen and not throwing women to the ground?!” AJ immediately scolded, reaching for the dogs’ collars to yank them away from Josette before they could crush her in an old fashioned dog-pile. Both dogs whined in annoyance at AJ’s deterring, but quickly broke away to greet the other visitor who was obviously more friendly. Groaning, AJ reached to help Josette back to her feet, beginning to apologize profusely, “I am so, so, so sorry. They’re nothing but a bunch of mutts sometimes and I do mean all of them- Nick!”

"What?" Nick called from the open door, brushing the crumbs from his t-shirt as he munched on a handful of chips. He had been starving the entire trip home, but AJ had refused to stop for him at all, though he had been more than happy to stop so the sisters could use the bathroom. After dropping everything inside the door, he had helped himself to a bag of chips from AJ's pantry, and now wiped greasy fingers on his jeans.

“The damn dogs are attacking Adrienne!” AJ hollered in disbelief, stumbling to gather Josette’s crutches so she could remain in an upright position.

"No they're not," Adrienne disagreed softly, a tentative smile touching her lips as the dogs circled around her eagerly. They appeared to know of her injuries, sitting on their haunches as she rubbed each head in turn.

"Adie loves animals," Josette pointed out as AJ replaced her crutches under her arms. "Even the worst behaved little jackasses turn into little darlings around her…"

“See?!” Nick hollered from the porch with triumph. “I did the right thing! Now, say it with me – Thank you, Nick!”

"Fuck you, Nick," Josette whispered so only AJ could hear.

“I can definitely read a person’s lips when they say ‘Fuck you,’ Sweetums,” Nick informed her, leaning against the frame of the door to finish eating.

Josette shrugged innocently. "But I didn't say 'Fuck you, Sweetums'. I said-"

“Why don’t we get you guys inside to rest?” AJ suggested suddenly, shooting a wicked glare toward Nick before whistling at his dogs. For once, none bothered to pay him any attention, far too excited with getting attention from the doting visitor. But, when Josette suggested that they get inside, Adrienne forced herself into a standing position and followed their walk, five dogs trailing behind her. “Hey, Nick, you can get your shit and go. Now.”

"I thought I'd hang around for a while and make sure your guests get comfortable," Nick announced, stepping into the house.

“You don’t even give a flying fuck about them, so why make sure they’re comfortable?” AJ growled, watching Josette closely as she fumbled to work the steps. Gesturing slightly, he smiled when she nodded and easily lifted her into his arms to carry her inside.

"You seem to have your hands full here," Nick decided, snorting as Josette flashed a thankful smile towards AJ. Of all the sickening things he had seen, that ranked towards the top, he decided with a scowl.

"Good. You can make yourself useful and take the dogs for a walk while I get the ladies settled," AJ informed Nick, quickly lowering Josette to the floor when his hand brushed the fullness of her breast.

“Your dogs aren’t planning on going anywhere with me unless I have the silent beauty attached to my arm,” Nick announced with a whistle, ignorant to the heavy blush that flushed both AJ and Josette simultaneously. Instead, he attempted to offer Adrienne a charming smile, but when her face tightened into a frown he visibly flinched. Was there potato chips sticking in between his teeth?

"Then go put the dirty laundry in the wash," AJ murmured, his eyes locked with Josette's for one tangible moment. Opening his mouth to apologize, he quickly closed it when she looked away. "I'll show you to your room…"

"Thank you," she whispered, motioning for Adrienne to precede her up the stairs.

Glancing up the grand staircase for a moment, Adrienne then slowly turned to face her sister, gently declining the suggestion with a small shake of her head. She wasn’t sure where AJ wanted her to go and she didn’t want to be shoved suddenly into a room from behind. Clasping her hands together, she furiously scratched at her skin for a moment at the thought of the assailant. Her skin felt clammy when she stepped away from the staircase, allowing AJ to start up the steps first with Josette wrapped in his arms once more. Struggling to maintain even respirations, she slowly followed.

Grumbling under his breath, Nick scooped up AJ's duffle bag from the entryway, kicking the door shut with his foot barely a second after the last dog entered the house. Glancing up the stairs, he watched the younger sister's slow progress for a moment, imagining her dressed in slim-fitting jeans and a skimpy top instead of the stretch pants and t-shirt she wore. Smiling slightly at the mental image, he let the duffle bag slide to the floor when AJ disappeared past the landing.

Out of sight; out of mind, Nick decided with a satisfied grin, reaching for the door to the basement to shove the duffle bag inside. He refused to be the maid to AJ’s disaster of a life. He had his own life to conduct and he wasn’t exactly getting any benefits from AJ. If Josette had such a overwhelming desire for the man, then she could do his damn laundry and take out his dogs and listen to his bitching--

Hearing the excited yelp of a dog, he jerked around to see the quiet sister leaning against the banister. If possible, she looked paler, and he watched as in slow motion she began to droop. The dogs yipped excitedly around her, and Nick quickly rushed to catch her before she fell down the stairs. Catching her light weight in his arms, he looked around helplessly for a moment as she went limp. Taking a deep breath, he headed up the stairs, stepping over the worried dogs.

“Hey! AJ! We’ve got an issue here!” Nick suddenly hollered in a panic when the dogs began to bark nervously around him as he hurried up the steps, watching Adrienne’s head sway from side to side. She was completely flaccid within his arms, just the whites of her eyes showing beneath her slightly parted eyelids. He had no idea what exactly was wrong with her, but he didn’t want blamed for it. “Damnit, AJ!”

"What did you do to her?" Josette shrieked, appearing at the top of the stairs to see Nick carrying her unconscious sister.

“I fucking caught her when she fainted!” Nick exclaimed in disbelief, sliding past her so he could rush into the hallway, searching for AJ’s whereabouts. “If I didn’t her head would have been cracked open at the bottom of the steps with the dogs licking at her brains!”

"Bring her in here," AJ instructed from his guest room door, moving into the room to pull the covers on the bed back. Breathing a sigh of relief when he realized that Kristin had placed clean sheets on it per his request, he stepped aside so Nick could gently lay her down on the mattress. Watching as Nick tenderly pulled the covers up over her, he raised a brow at Nick's sudden caring.

"Thank you," Josette whispered to Nick as she stepped past him to check on her sister.

“No problem,” Nick muttered, reaching to carefully tuck a few stray curls behind Adrienne’s ears before stepping back. Noticing AJ’s observant gaze, he quickly cleared his throat and avoided his gaze. “Guess she lost a lot of blood or something, huh? She was doing fine and then she just started leaning on the banister and… Yeah, I caught her…”

"Mighty decent of you, too," AJ pointed out carefully, scratching his chin as Josette hovered over her sister. "What do you say you come downstairs and help me find something to eat? Or… Help me decide which pizza place to order from…" he trailed, surprised to see Nick was already heading for the door. Turning to Josette, he shrugged apologetically. "You need anything? I mean, I've got a first aid kit with some stuff in it if someone faints-"

“Adie would never speak to me again if I stuck those nasty smelling packets under her nose,” Josette kindly disagreed, reaching to gently brush her fingers over her sister’s forehead. Feeling the cold sweat, she muttered a string of French phrases beneath her breath. Adrienne never should have been discharged from the hospital so quickly. She probably should have had another infusion in blood and the hysterectomy. But, their mother had been adamant about the care. Just knowing that her sister’s life had been jeopardized several times for the sake of propriety caused her insides to boil. “I will need bandages and antibiotic ointment and… Well, stuff for her wounds…”

“I’ll send Nick out to the store to get what you need,” AJ promised, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. “Do you want to share this guestroom with your sister? I mean, the bed is king-sized, so you both will have enough room, but if you want to take another room, that’s fine with me, too--”

"No, I don't mind staying with her," Josette murmured, turning to face him. "When we were little, she always came into my room to sleep when she was scared or upset, and… Something tells me that she'll want me close now," she whispered, running a hand through her hair wearily. "What I could really use right now is a cigarette-"

“I’ve got enough of those to last the all the cockroaches in New York City when the next meteor hits,” AJ promised, reaching into his pocket to withdraw a new pack of cigarettes. Then, fishing in the opposite pocket for his favorite lighter, he handed them both over.

"You are my official knight in shining armor," Josette sighed, accepting them with a smile. Impulsively, she leaned her crutches against the bed, slipping the cigarettes and lighter into her pocket, wanting to show her appreciation for his many kindnesses. Reaching over, she lightly cupped his cheek with her palm, looking into his warm chocolate eyes. "Thank you, Alex… So much, for everything…"

“You’re welcome,” AJ promised, hastily wetting his bottom lip as he concentrated on the depths of her brewing cocoa eyes. He had felt so very cold for the past month after losing his girlfriend in such a horrible tragedy, but the way her hand so gingerly cupped his cheek caused a flame to spark in the very pit of his stomach. It was foolish to deny that he was attracted to Josette. Despite the bruises upon her face, she was stunning. Something about her radiating aura soothed his heartache. But, biting on his inner cheek, he realized what she wanted to do. “Josette... You don’t have to do this…”

"I want to," she murmured, leaning close to offer him the softest of kisses. Her fingers brushed over his cheek, the roughness of his beard causing her to tremble slightly as their lips met.

Her lips were soft and pliable against his, warming his entire body with the sweet taste of coffee and cigarettes. His first instinct was to wrap his arms about her in a sweeping gesture, but fought to do so. Instead, he kept his hands fixed at his sides, not wanting to frighten her. But, he couldn’t be held accountable for the way he leaned in, carefully drawing her top lip between his for a concentrated kiss. Something to remember during the night when darkness swept over him.

"Alex," she whispered against his lips, fighting against the thrill that tingled down her spine at his gentleness. Reluctantly pulling away, she brushed her finger over his lips, as though to seal the kiss into his memory. "Thank you."

“No way, thank you,” AJ disagreed with a small smile, kissing her fingertips before brushing away the fallen ebony waves from her face. “…Though, don’t be furious with me when you’re not able to share the bed with your sister…” he finished, glancing over to the bed to see all the dogs had found spots among Adrienne to rest.

"That's alright… I'll just have to find another bed to slip into," Josette decided with a soft smile, unaware of the double entendre when AJ cleared his throat. "But I think I'll go get a smoke by the window, then see if I can wriggle in the bed somehow for a nap…"

“…Can I join you? For the smoke, I mean? Though, if you wanted to share my bed, I wouldn’t be against that either, but I couldn’t even manage to get into that king-sized bed with your sister, you, and the dogs… She’d probably have a heart attack--”

"You can join me for the smoke," Josette interrupted with a suppressed chuckle, enjoying the flush that darkened his cheeks.

“Let’s go out on the veranda then,” AJ suggested with a groan, furiously rubbing his cheeks.

Following him out the French doors that lead to the small veranda off the guest room, Josette glanced back to see the bulldog had cuddled close to Adrienne, his head resting on her shoulder as his eyelids began to droop. "What are your dogs' names?" she inquired as he held a chair so she could lower herself into it.

“Right now they’re traitors’ one through five,” AJ muttered, though he offered a smile as he leaned on the railing, making sure to watch Adrienne’s condition. “But, the fat, English Bulldog is Tank. The biggest dog is a Bernese Mountain Dog and his name is Bernie. The smaller dogs are Yorkies; the one that’s mostly all brown is Dallas and the other is JD. And the fattest dog is my baby girl, Allie, she should be having puppies any day now.”

“If you tell that to Adie when she wakes up, you’ll make her day,” Josette suggested with a pleased smile, offering him a cigarette from the pack he had given her. “She’s a veterinarian, y’know? The youngest and smartest veterinarian and I’m not just bragging.”

"She really does love animals, huh?" AJ murmured, leaning close when she offered to light his cigarette. Seeing a glow of maternal pride in her cocoa eyes, he smiled. "You're really proud of her, aren't you? …And you're really protective of her too…"

“She absolutely adores animals,” Josette agreed with a soft groan of remembrance. “She’s working to establish her own veterinarian office right now, but works right now with another vet in his private office. Every animal that is taken to them that’s abandoned, she takes home. We have so many different creatures running around our estate and she knows every single one of their names. She’s just so passionate and loves her job so much… We were both home-schooled and I graduated early, but she graduated years ahead of when she was supposed to. Then she actually budged our father into allowing her to go to college. After a bachelor degree in Biology, she went to veterinary school. She worked her tail off and graduated with the highest honors. Of course I’m proud of her…”

"Estate?" AJ repeated after a moment, noticing the far off look in her eyes when she said the words. Moving to sit in the chair opposite her, he shifted it slightly to one side so he could keep an eye on Adrienne. "Where do you live at?"

"Well… For the next few weeks my address is whatever-this-street-is, Malibu," Josette answered with an innocent smile, gasping softly when he reached to pull her aching ankle into his lap.

“And after those next few weeks?” AJ pried, gently rubbing her upper leg to soothe her, knowing she should take some Tylenol soon.

"We live up near the Klamath Mountains, just outside of Weaverville County," Josette informed him softly, closing her eyes. Even though the house she spoke of had been her home for all of her twenty-five years, she could honestly say she had never truly felt welcome there. "The estate's been in Father's family for several generations, and Mother could tell you probably the exact time the workmen began constructing it… Father works in Sacramento, and the estate is about three hours from there…"

“…Your last name is Moreau?” AJ asked after several moments of silence, diligently processing the information. Leaning back in his seat, he steadily worked to tenderly rub her foot while watching Adrienne inside. “You aren’t the Millionaire Moreau’s are you? The ones that made Paris Hilton burn with absolute disgust?”

"…Billionaire Moreau's," Josette corrected, shifting her foot slightly in his lap. "And I learned at a very early age to pay no attention to what that little attention whore thought or said-"

“You must have ran into Nick at all those functions!” AJ suddenly exclaimed with a laugh, not caring about her level of financial security, far more amused to realize that she was the Moreau that had ruined Hilton’s thousand dollar dress with a single glass of red wine.

"Nick? That greasy blonde… Don't tell me he's the same guy she was dragging around a few years ago?" Josette questioned, sitting up straight in her chair. "Well Hell, no wonder he looks like shit, there's no telling what kind of infestations she passed on…"

“The one and only Nick Carter,” AJ confirmed with a snort of laughter.

"Oh my God…" Josette trailed, shaking her head as she took a final drag off her cigarette. Leaning to push it into the tray of sand on the nearby table, she stiffened slightly when her foot slid across his lap, slowly turning her head to glance at him. "…Are you okay?"

“I’m fine; it’s just been so long since I’ve laughed,” AJ admitted, suddenly frowning when she tensed and immediately realizing what she had brushed against. “Josette, I’m sorry--”

"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have moved my foot-"

“I should have control over something like that, given what happened and I know I just met you, but I’m so comfortable around you, and God, I’m so sorry--”

"You're comfortable around me, too?" she interrupted softly.

“Obviously if I’m throwing a woody just because you kissed me and have your foot in my--” AJ suddenly groaned as he blushed crimson. “I think I should go downstairs and figure out what we’re eating--”

"After we eat and Adie takes her pain pills and goes to sleep, do you think the dogs will stand guard over her long enough for us to run to a movie store?" Josette questioned, slowly pulling her foot from his lap so he could stand.

“If we leave the orders with Tank and Bernie, I think we could make the dash,” AJ agreed, tugging furiously on his form-fitted t-shirt in order to hide his burning erection. It was official, he had absolutely no control over his body whatsoever.

"And you'll send Crab Boy far, far away?"

“Yeah, I can do that.”

"And maybe soon you can look me in the eye again?" she murmured as he held out a hand to help her to her foot.

“I’m embarrassed as Hell, Josette--”

"Do you know what? When I was in that… Place… I never imagined that anyone would be able to find me attractive in the least anymore. Mother always told me I had to remain pure for my wedding night, and now… Now that I'm not, I've wondered once or twice if she was right when she said that no man would ever want to share a bed with me," Josette blurted.

“A man would be an absolute fucknut not to want to share a bed with you because of something you couldn’t prevent. What that bastard did to you was wrong and… All the blame rests on him. It’s not your fault and you should never be held responsible for that. As far as I’m concerned, I’d be happy to share my bed with you any time you like!” AJ exclaimed in a moment of unbridled passion, the feelings rushing from his heart and collecting in his chest till he was sure it would burst.

"You mean that?" she whispered, closing her eyes in hopes of warding off the flood of tears that threatened to fall.

“I’d never turn you away,” he promised, hesitating for a moment before leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead.

"You're one of a kind, Alex," she murmured.

“Yeah? And I’m starting to think that you’re a piece of Heaven.”

*~*~*


The gentle motion of AJ's car lulled Josette into a light sleep, and even though he kept up a light conversation about the movies they had purchased at the video store, she found her concentration drifting from him. Shifting slightly in the seat, she tensed when she remembered the cold steel of handcuffs around her wrists as she'd been strapped to a bed. The stagnant, foul odor of the man's breath when he had kissed her. The rough feel of his hands on her-

Sitting up with a start, she released a shriek of defiance, jerking her legs when she felt the seatbelt binding her to the seat. Clawing at the webbed nylon across her chest, she could only struggle, knowing she had to get to Adrienne. "No, Adie!"

When Josette shrieked with fright, AJ reacted naturally by throwing his foot onto the brake. The sudden stop of his car within the driveway threw him forward into the steering wheel, but his concentration was on the woman potentially strangling herself with the seatbelt. Reaching out, he fumbled with the button of the seatbelt lock to free her from the nylon and then threw the car into park. Tumbling out of his seat, he ran to the opposite side to throw her door open, grasping her shoulders in hopes to ground her. “Josette! Hey! It’s okay!”

"He's got her," Josette protested, struggling to draw in a normal breath as she felt her chest tighten painfully. All she could see was Adrienne, chained to a wall as he forced her to please him. Shivering as though she had been doused with ice water, she clenched at AJ's arms. "I have to get to her, he's trying to kill her-"

“Adrienne’s safe inside right now,” AJ hastily interrupted, reaching to cup her face delicately within the palms of his hands. Hurriedly, he searched her burnt cocoa eyes in hopes to pull her away from the fierceness of the panic attack. “I have the most advanced security system known to man. She’s safe. Do you hear me? She’s safe.”

"I have to get to her. I never should have let her go without me, I should have stayed with her. She's in pain, she needs me-"

“She’s sound asleep from the panic medication--”

"I just need to make sure she's okay. I have to hold her and know she's going to be alright," Josette insisted, not feeling the pain when she slid out of the car to stand on both feet. Feeling his hands on her face, she blinked rapidly, dizziness sweeping over her so suddenly she sagged against him. "Please, just let me go see her," she whimpered.

“I’ll take you to her, Josette,” AJ promised, hurriedly seizing her into his arms before she could injure her ankle any further. Cradling her against his chest, he forgot all about his vehicle as he walked the rest of the driveway. Hurrying up the porch steps, he kicked furiously at the door till Nick opened it. “Where’s Adrienne?”

"Upstairs locked in her room…" Nick trailed, looking curiously at Josette's whimpering form. "What's wrong with her?"

“She’s having a panic attack, get that anti-anxiety medication on the kitchen table from her labeled bag,” AJ requested, practically racing up the steps in order to get to Adrienne. When he found the dogs furiously whining and scratching at the guest door, he felt his heart drop slightly. Shifting one hand away from Josette, he tapped on the door. “Adrienne? It’s AJ and Josette. Why don’t you let us in?”

…But there was no answer…

"Adie, please!" Josette cried, pulling one arm free so she could pound on the door. "Adie, Doll Face… Please answer the door…"

AJ winced at the desperation in Josette’s voice, wanting to calm her with some kind of lie. “She’s probably sound asleep from those pills or in the bathroom--”

"Then break the door down."

“I’d break my arm instead of the wood--”

"Do something!"

“What do you want me to do?!”

"Jimmy the lock, take off the doorknob, turn into a mouse and slip under the crack. Just do something!"

“J, while you’re working on pulling that mouse out’cher ass, why don’t you move to the side?” Nick suggested, holding out the bottle of pills that AJ had demanded. He had heard their dilemma from downstairs because of Josette’s shrieks. Waiting for a moment till AJ reluctantly backed up, he crouched in front of the door and scooted the whining dogs away. Reaching into his back pocket, he withdrew the expensive Swiss army knife he had recently purchased. Flipping it open, he hurriedly began tinkering with the lock of the door. He could hear the faint sound of running water, which actually caused his heart to accelerate in a sweep of panic.

Josette held her breath as she listened to Nick's muttered curses, accentuated with the occasional slam of his hand against the solid wooden door. When the door finally swung open and the dogs clamored to be the first inside, she jumped from AJ's protective embrace, stumbling over Nick's prone form in order to reach her sister. Scanning the room, she felt her heart leap to her throat with worry when she saw the open doors leading to the veranda, stepping in that direction before she heard the shower running in the bathroom. Tripping over dogs, she flung herself into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her before the dogs could enter. "Adie?"

There was no response from the younger woman and Josette had to squint within the thick rolls of steam filling the large bathroom. Limping carefully through the bathroom, she neared the large shower stall with a thick glass door. Peering in, she noticed a hazy, peach-colored blur behind the distorted glass. Panic seized control once more as she ripped open the door and practically fell inside. She noticed traces of blood swirling down the drain and a sob strangled her throat, unable to believe her sister would do something so foolish. When she heard a soft sniffle, she gasped with relief to see Adrienne huddled in the far corner of the luscious shower, directly beneath the shower of scalding hot water, curled into a tight ball of protection.

"Adie…" she breathed in surprise, reaching to turn off the water. Grabbing a thick, soft towel off the rack, she knelt in front of her younger sister, gently wrapping the towel around her. "Come on… Let's go lay down. It's okay, Doll Face… You're safe, remember? I'm here, I'm not going to let anything happen to you…"

“I had to get him off me,” Adrienne whispered, never fighting her sister’s movements as she was gently pulled from the shower. Standing awkwardly, she just stared down at her arms while Josette wrapped the towel tighter around her body. She had scrubbed at her skin till it was beefy, red and significantly raw. The small trail of blood in the shower had been the result of her scrubbing. Waking up from her fainting spell had disoriented her and the memories flooded. That’s when she stumbled to the bathroom, not caring about the bandages or sutures, just aching to take his smell, taste, and matter away from her.

"I know, Sweetheart," Josette murmured, plucking a robe from the back of the door to drape around Adrienne's trembling form before pulling her into her arms. Pressing her face against her sister's shoulder, she trailed her fingers through her wet tendrils. "…I know exactly how you feel…"

“I’m sorry, Ettie,” Adrienne breathed, her arms stilled at her sides, not knowing how to react to Josette’s fierce hug. When they had been taken from the truck stop, she had been so scared. When she was thrust into some dark room to hear her sister’s screams, she was terrified. When he came for her and continued to use her to torture her sister, something inside her had died.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Doll Face," Josette promised, softly kissing Adrienne's cheek. "You didn't do anything wrong, Adie. Nothing at all, you understand? No one could ever do anything that would warrant what we both had to go through… Come on, let's get you dressed and back in the bed…"

“Are you leaving again?” Adrienne whispered, watching Josette cinch the robe quite tightly about her thin waist before she felt arms about her again. Slowly, the door was opened leading to the guest room and she flinched when she noticed AJ and Nick murmuring to each other near the door. The dogs had been hurried out once more.

"I shouldn't have left you, I'm so sorry…" Josette trailed softly, protectively pulling Adrienne closer when she saw AJ and Nick. "I promise, I'll be staying with you from now on…"

“You can leave if you want,” Adrienne told her sister, her voice dropping several tones below her hardest whisper. Meekly, she allowed her older sister to guide her back to the soft, plush bed and said nothing when she was forced to sit. She knew that Josette wanted her to sleep, but feared that she couldn’t. Closing her eyes caused her to relive the horrors and she feared the darkness.

"I'm staying," Josette promised, reaching for the duffle bag of clothes that AJ had gotten them. Most were his own, comfortable stretch pants and t-shirts. Plucking pants and a shirt out for her sister, she glanced over at the men. "Could we have some privacy, please?"

“Well… Is she okay?” Nick inquired, though he moved to the door nonetheless. He may have been an asshole in some regards, but he knew that the women deserved their privacy. And though his question was directed toward Josette, he looked to Adrienne for the answer.

"She's fine, she just needs rest," Josette insisted gently, though her gaze softened when she saw his worry. "Thank you, Crab-I mean Nick. For getting the door open…"

“You’re welcome,” Nick answered kindly, though he still kept his watch upon Adrienne, his heart briefly fluttering when she looked to him. But, when he felt AJ’s hand on his shoulder, he jerked away and immediately fixed a cold scowl to his face. “Anything to piss off the asshole by scraping up his doors.”

"The asshole is standing right here, so you'd better leave before he kicks your ass," AJ hissed from behind him. "Come on, so she can get dressed in peace."

“At least when you kick my ass you wouldn’t be putting mice and hamsters in danger,” Nick muttered, yelping slightly when he was shoved forcefully from the room.

"Thank you, Alex," Josette whispered when he turned to look at her and Adrienne.

“For shoving him out of the room? Oh, don’t thank me, I love doing that--”

"For everything," she interrupted.

“Well, don’t worry about that either,” he answered with a genuine smile. “Maybe after you two rest for awhile, I can get you downstairs to watch a movie or two.”

"We'll see," she whispered, not wanting Adrienne to think she wanted to leave her alone. Smiling softly as he left the room, closing the door behind him, she turned to Adrienne. "Alright, Twinkle Toes, let's get dressed."

“You like him,” Adrienne decided, leaning slightly to take the duffle bag from the floor. Pulling it onto the bed, she looked through the clothes that AJ had selected for them. Glancing up for a moment to see her sister’s outfit, she decided that Josette must be uncomfortable in just a plain, baggy t-shirt and stretch pants. She was used to looking elegant daily. In fact, she relished and thrived in her gorgeous attire. But, finding a pair of lounge pants with the Pepsi logo printed all over them, Adrienne thought she had found treasure.

"He's nice," Josette answered with a shrug as she eased onto the bed, stretching her aching leg slightly. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out a pair of faded, worn jeans. Holding them to her for a moment, she decided they would fit, and stood to wriggle out of her stretch pants. "I'm sorry I left, Adie… I just wanted to get some movies…"

“You didn’t have to stay,” Adrienne promised, finding the largest shirt in the duffle bag before gingerly pulling off the robe. Making sure to keep the towel wrapped around her torso, she eased the t-shirt over her broken body then pulled the towel away and located the lounge pants. She didn’t want her sister looking at her.

Easing her leg into the jeans, Josette sighed, fumbling with the zipper and snap for a moment before they were finally secured. Plucking out the first t-shirt she saw, she peeled off the oversized one she wore, making sure to keep her gaze away from Adrienne's body as she pulled on the black t-shirt. "…Where are your pills at?"

“I don’t know…” Adrienne admitted honestly, playing with the hem of the baggy t-shirt before crawling back into bed. Her first instinct was to lie on her stomach, but she winced immediately and turned to lay on her back. Tenderly, she pressed her hands against her lower abdomen, feeling as if the “toys” were still embedded into her.

"I'll go find them, it's time for your last dose of the evening," Josette murmured, pulling the blankets up over Adrienne. Pressing the softest of kisses against her sister's cheek, she pulled the duffle bag to the floor before hobbling to the door. Opening it, she stepped back with a gasp at the mass of dogs waiting to enter, watching in amusement as they all raced to climb onto the bed with Adrienne. "Make sure you take care of my sister," she instructed them as they cuddled close.

“I like them a lot,” Adrienne admitted, propping herself up slightly in order to deliver attention to each dog on the bed. Though, she paid most attention to Allie, knowing she was pregnant and loved to have her belly rubbed.

"Alex told me earlier that she's about to… What's the word? Whelp? Anyway, she's about to give birth, should be any day now," Josette informed, watching as Allie snuggled closer to Adrienne. "You'll be alright while I go get our medicines?"

“I’ll be fine,” Adrienne promised, helping Dallas and JD up on the pillows where she would eventually rest her head.

"Okay…" Turning, Josette left the room, pulling the door shut behind her. Groaning at the thought of climbing down the stairs, she headed slowly down the hallway, wincing with each step. Reaching the top of the stairs, she was surprised to see AJ coming up. Not realizing how her face lit up when she saw him, she rubbed her arms. "Do you know what happened to our medicine? It's time for Adie's pills, and I need some Tylenol…"

“I’ve got it right here in the bags and I got you both sodas,” AJ announced with a smile.

"Thanks," she murmured, taking the bags from him when he reached the top landing. At his confused look, she shrugged, balancing the sodas in one arm. She knew that if he went into the bedroom Adrienne may become even more despondent. "Adie's already in the bed with your dogs, and she may get… Well… You know," she sighed, turning to limp back to the bedroom.

“Yeah…” AJ trailed with his own helpless shrug, pushing his hands into the pockets of his jeans. Noticing his favorite pair of pants clinging to her bottom half, he pressed his lips together to hold off a smile. To say he was giddy over the sight would have been foolish, especially considering the state of things. Josette had spent three weeks of Hell under the hands of a maniac and his girlfriend had been murdered by that same man a month ago. To want a relationship now would be considered in bad taste… Wouldn’t it? “…Well, you guys have a good night. I’ll be downstairs in the living room if you need anything before I head off to sleep… And, if you need me after that, my bedroom is the last door in the hallway, dead center.”

"How will I know whether you're still downstairs or in your room?" Josette questioned in honest confusion, turning to face him once more. Seeing the hint of a smile on his lips, she raised an eyebrow, glancing down at her clothing. "What? Did I put the shirt on backwards or-"

“If I’m in my room, I’ll leave the door open a little, that way you can always come in?” AJ answered with a questioning tone to his voice, deciding to avoid the whole question of wardrobe.

"Okay… Are you alright? You look strained. Is that Mexican we had for lunch disagreeing with you-"

“Oh! Lord no! I passed those stones in Nick’s private bathroom just a bit ago--”

"Then why do you keep biting your lip and grunting?"

“Because you look really good in my favorite jeans, but I feel like a jackass for even mentioning it.”

"Oh… Okay," she murmured, turning away so he wouldn't see her blush. "Well, I'll see you later, then…"

“Have a good night, Josette, and hopefully some sweet dreams,” AJ returned.

"You too, Alex… Thank you," she murmured, glancing at him once more before slipping into the bedroom.

"J! Where's the satellite remote?!" Nick bellowed from downstairs.

Holding his breath to keep himself from cursing, he watched Josette close the door and waited for the sound of the turning lock. Satisfied that the women were safe, he turned to hurry down the stairs. He wanted to hopefully create a somewhat peaceful environment for the sisters since this would be their first night away from Hell, though he was certain it wouldn’t be far from their minds. And with Nick’s incessant growls, grunts, snorts, and whines; there would be no peace. He just hoped that the younger man would go home soon. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate his friendship, but he knew how Nick treated women… And life…

"So, what'll we do tonight, J?" Nick questioned when AJ came into the living room. Propping his feet on the coffee table, he watched as the older man moved to the entertainment center, his brow furrowing when AJ slammed the cabinets shut. "What? You want to go out? Go pick up some chicks and have some fun-"

“I want to have a somewhat quiet night watching movies or TV while the girls try to rest upstairs,” AJ interrupted, throwing the remote in Nick’s direction before flopping onto the nearby recliner. “I haven’t been into picking up chicks, and when you say chicks, I know they’re about two dollars away from being prostitutes, since I went to rehab.”

"Fine… What do you want to watch? Bahama Mama Bikini shoot?" Nick suggested, flipping through the TV Guide. Though, when AJ leaned to get the bag of DVDs off the coffee table, he rolled his eyes. "You're not going to watch that boring old black and white shit, are you? I mean, yeah, they're classics, but…"

“They’re just not young little mosquito bites flashing their tits, shaking their asses, and rubbing their G-strings, huh?” AJ quipped with a thick dose of sarcasm. It was astonishing to see Nick acting how he used to act a few years ago. If he hadn’t gone to into rehabilitation, AJ was convinced that he would be the mirror image of Nick. Sarcastic, angry, smug, wild, uninhibited, and constantly inebriated.

"I just can't believe you've got a gorgeous babe upstairs and yet you're down here with me," Nick groaned. "Maybe I should go so you can be alone with them-"

“Do you have any idea what the Hell they’ve been through for the past three weeks? Or were you thinking about those shitty S&M pornos you love to watch while you looked at those pictures?” AJ suddenly exploded with a violent sweep of aggression, hurling the DVDs toward Nick in a defensive manner. He couldn’t believe that Nick would have the gall to suggest such a perverted idea after what he had seen just a day before. “They were raped and tortured! Josette watched her little sister get raped until she started to bleed. She lost so much blood that she needed a blood transfusion and they actually wanted to rip out her uterus because of the damage that sonofabitch caused. But you think it’s perfectly acceptable for me to just run upstairs and jump in between them? What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

"It was just a fucking joke!" Nick growled, shoving the DVDs away before rubbing his stinging neck where they had landed. "Jesus Christ, man, what the fuck is wrong with you? You act like it's your job to take care of them! You don't know shit about either one of them, but you're giving them room and board like they're your favorite cousins-"

“It became my job to take care of them when we found them! Their mother is a frigid bitch and damnit, I do know shit about both of them! I know they’re the Millionaire Moreau’s! The gorgeous brunette that dumped red wine over Hilton’s new dress that splashed onto your white pants – that was Josette! And I know she’s extremely protective of her little sister and loves her more than anything in the world. And I know Adrienne is a veterinarian. Only twenty-one years old and the girl is a vet! She’s fucking smart as Hell and my babies love her! That’s enough for me!”

"Then you're welcome to them. Big fucking deal, the Millionaire Moreau's," Nick muttered as he got to his feet. "One as psycho as Leatherface and the other one quieter than a fucking mute. When you've come to your senses, give me a call, man."

“I’ll put your shit out on the porch tomorrow morning.”

Nick didn't bother with a reply, merely shrugging his shoulders before leaving, the door slamming sharply behind him. From upstairs came the muffled bark of one of the dogs, and AJ sagged into the recliner with a groan.

"…You didn't have to defend us to your friend," Josette murmured from the doorway after a moment. Adrienne had fallen asleep mere seconds after taking her painkiller, and seemed perfectly content in the bed snuggled with the dogs. Having been on her way downstairs to seek out AJ to ask if he wanted to join her for a cigarette, she had been surprised to hear the argument brewing between the two men.

Jerking slightly, AJ popped his eyes open to see Josette standing tentatively on both feet. It looked as if she had given up on the crutches already, not that he blamed her. There was a certain defiance in her dark cocoa eyes that told him she would do that sooner or later. But, her overhearing the conversation caused him to sink down in the recliner. “You heard that?”

"Only from about the time you threw something at him…"

“Nick’s a good guy when he wants to be… But, lately, he’s just… He’s bottomed out on some kind of mood… His home situation is a horror show and he’s grown up in that kind of environment, so it’s surprising he’s not an even bigger asshole than that… But, he has this way about him that just pisses everyone and everything in his path off. The only time I’ve actually seen him do something for someone else is with your sister…”

"Adie tends to bring out the best in everyone," Josette murmured, shifting on her feet slightly. "Well, she used to, at least…"

“You can have a seat if you like, your ankle has to be hurting.”

"Am I allowed to smoke in here? Or are you one of those smokers who makes everyone stand outside-" Josette cut off with a small smile when he held up an ashtray. Limping past the threshold, she slowly lowered herself onto the couch, stretching her leg out on the cushion next to her. "She fell asleep right after she took her pill… Your pregnant dog is stretched out under the covers next to her, and the other dogs are all crowded around. When she first started bringing animals from the vet's office I would kid her and call her Dr. Doolittle…"

“You mean she wasn’t slipping away from your Au Pairs when she was in diapers bringing home whatever critter she could find?” AJ mused, abandoning the thought of watching a movie for a moment. It seemed that Josette only really seemed to blossom when she spoke of her sister. Something about sharing Adrienne’s past helped her get through the pain of what she witnessed.

"We never had Au Pairs, we always had proper English governesses," Josette informed, wrinkling her nose. "And yes, she did. Her first adoptee was a duck she rescued from the pond. He had a broken wing, and you should have seen her big eyes fill with tears when she explained that I had to help her nurse him back to health. She was about three then…" Accepting the cigarette he had lit for her, she sighed softly. "And then there were the piglets she found on the side of the road when she was six… The Greyhound she 'rescued' from the racetrack when Father and Mother took us. Imagine if you will a little pigtailed pipsqueak feeding this huge dog potato chips in the car so he wouldn't make a sound. By the time Father realized there was a dog in the car, we were almost home, and he told Mother that it was good for children to have pets…"

“She’s a sneaky little thing,” AJ chuckled with amusement, stretching out within the recliner before lighting himself a cigarette. “…Seems like you were always her protector though, even when she just needed you to help her with a little duck.”

"I've always tried to be," Josette murmured softly, picking idly at the frayed knees of the jeans she wore. She had tried so hard to protect Adrienne from every evil in the world when they were growing up. And she had all but handed her sister over to the vilest of creatures. "Guess I'm not too good at it."

“I’m sure Adrienne would completely disagree with that, y’know, if she could actually stand to talk to me and all…”

"He wouldn't let us… We weren't allowed to talk," Josette whispered, bringing the cigarette to her lips for a hearty pull. "If we did, he… We were punished if we talked to each other."

“…You don’t have to talk about it, Josette… Have you ever had a nickname in your life?”

"Adie calls me Ette… Rudolph calls me Jo when he's not too busy sucking up to Father… But no…"

“…Rudolph?”

"Father's junior partner…" Josette trailed evasively. "Mother always has him over for dinner. Why do you ask about a nickname?"

“Because everyone should have a meaningful nickname, even if you come from a snooty family. Though, I guess you’re really fond of being called Ette?”

"Yes, as long as you don't whine it like Adie tends to do when she's trying to talk me into something…"

“Can I call you Ette till I find something special to call you?”

"I'd really like that," Josette agreed with a smile, moving her leg until her foot rested on the coffee table. "So, what do your friends call you?"

“Jackass, Dickhead, Dickwad, Fucknut, Asshole, Son-of-a-bitch, and that’d be on a good day--”

"I heard Nick calling you AJ, though," Josette interrupted with a soft laugh, reaching for the ashtray.

“That’s the stage name my mom and I came up with when I started in show-biz. It’s short for Alexander James. So, yeah, I guess my nickname is AJ. Mom calls me Alex still. So, AJ, Alex, J, and the rest of the expletives depending on who’s feathers I’ve ruffled for the day,” AJ mused with a wicked grin.

"Has anyone ever called you Ajie?" she inquired, scooting to the edge of the couch so she could reach the ashtray on the arm of the recliner.

“No…”

"Good, then I will," she decided with a smile. "Ajie…"