All at Once (Complete)

v. Towel

Riley
This girl was driving me crazy. She was hot one minute and cold the next. She was broken, and I wanted to be the one to fix her, so bad, but I don't know how.

I had to get out. I heard her crying, and I had the sudden over-whelming urge to go in and hold her. To tell her I was sorry and that it would be alright, but I couldn't do that. Hudson had warned me not to get close to this case, to Sabine, and I would do exactly as I was told.

In my rush to get out, I hadn't even thought about what food she would want. I know she likes cheeseburgers but we'd had them for lunch. I thought Pizza. Everyone likes Pizza, right?

The hotel I had chosen was one from the list Hudson had given me. He said a big resort left too many people to recognise her and put something in the media or to Chase.

Just thinking about that stupid radio announcement had me clenching my fists. She shouldn't have heard that. Knowing she witnessed her parents murder was enough for me to want to go on a personal vendetta to find the guy and smash his face in until he was unrecognisable. I didn't want anyone to hurt Sabine.

See what I mean? Crazy.

After circling the area for the fifth time and telling myself it was necessary to make sure it was safe, I decided I needed to head back. She was my charge, and as much as she was messing with my head, I had to keep her safe.

Walking back toward the hotel room I concentrated on what I would say. I had been a jerk, I know, but I had to be to keep my distance.

As I approached the door to our room my heart raced and my feet pumped on the concrete as I ran.

She was screaming.

The door was locked and no way in hell was I waiting to get my keys out. I stepped back and kicked the door off its hinges.

My eyes darted across the room, searching for anything I needed to protect Sabine from, but stopped in confusion when I saw nothing.

I checked the bathroom and windows. No one had broken in, no one was here. What made her scream?

For the first time since I kicked the door in I looked toward Sabine, she was asleep, lying in the bed... and quiet.

Had I imagined her screaming?

She looked so peaceful when she slept. I had noticed that when she fell asleep in the car, also. Her deep brown hair fanned around her, the pain didn't hide behind her humour facade, her under eyes didn't look as dark. She was beautiful. Until she started screaming again.

"No! Please, please, please... Daddy!" she thrashed violently and cried out in pain.

I knelt down beside the bed and smoothed the hair from her face.

"Shhh... Shhh, Sabine, its okay. I won't let him hurt you again, I promise," I tried desperately to soothe her.

She whimpered and lent into my hand on her cheek, another tear falling down her face. I wiped it away, holding her face between my hands. I had to wake her up.

"Please, don't. Don't. Don't. Don't. No!" she screamed again and I reached to lift her before she began thrashing.

I climbed in and had her lying against my chest.

"Sabine, it's okay. I'm here." I whispered in her ear. She shifted toward me and cracked her eye open. Thank god. She was awake. She wasn't in pain anymore.

"R-Riley?" She asked disjointedly between sobs, still half asleep.

"Yeah, darlin', it's me. You're okay. Go back to sleep." At my words she began shaking her head furiously.