"Goodbye." I say and prepare to hang up the phone.
"Ah, Ah, Ah, Don't hang up! We know exactally where you are, in fact, we have a sniper trained on Nikki at the moment. You remember how good Kaya is with a gun, don't you?" I hear Chris' voice, and I glance at my sleeping girlfriend.
"Don't you dare. She has nothing to do with this. It's me you want," I say, but even I know my voice is shaking.
"Ah, but she can be used as such a pawn... You make all this too easy..." He says before laughing.
"What do you want?" I ask, on the verge of loosing it.
"You know already, don't you? We want to return you to where you belong. Uncle sure is missing you... He needs someone to abuse, doesn't he? Your his. Remember that." Chris says right before the line goes dead.
I shakily put the phone down on the desk before walking over to Nikki. I place my hand on her shoulder, stirring her from her sleep. She opens her sighless eyes and makes a small yawn.
"What is it..?" Nikki asks, not sitting up.
"Love..... I'm really really really sorry, but I have to go...." I tell her, trying to keep from crying.
"When will you be back?" Nikki asks, looking in my direction.
"I can't be. I'll put you in danger if I stay." I say, and I swallow hard.
"No, I'll go with you... You can't go..." she says. She looks about as sad as me.
"I can't let you do that.... I'll be going far away. I can't bring you with me, you'll just get hurt. Thats the last thing I want..." I tell her.
"No... You can't go... Not without me. I'll go with you or you're not going at all." She said defiantly.
"Nikki..." I place a hand on her cheek, "I might be able to come back... But if I do, my hands will be stained with blood..." I warn her.
"Do you think I care?! I'm not letting you leave. We can protect you here. Please... Please stay.." Nikki pleads.
"Its not as safe as you think. Just a moment ago Kaya had his sniper trained on you... Love, I have to go..." I kiss her gently on the lips before pulling away from her entirely.
"Danny!" She says, scrambling to grab some part of me and ending up falling off the bed. I rush to her side.
"Nikki.. You'll be just fine... Just... Forget about me," I tell her, ready to cry again.
"I can never forget, I never want you to leave, I don't care if it puts my life in danger, just stay here with me..." She says. I sigh.
"I-I can't... I can't stay here or they'll hurt you and bring me back." I try to explain to her. "Either way we'll be seperated. There's no way to avoid that..."
"Well.... What if you two went to one of our winter homes? I don't think anyone could get you there..." Ben says, and I neerly jump out of my skin. Nikki clings onto me.
"Please....?" She says, begining to cry. I sigh. I would rather go alone but....
"I'm sure Rose and Violet would accompany you... I'd probably have to stay though..." Ben explains.
"How far away is it?" I question. It could be an option...
"Its in South Dakota, is that far enough?" He asks. I nod.
"It should be... I-I guess that will work... But I'd still rather go alone..." I try to reason.
"Nope! Try again!" Nikki said. I knew I wasn't getting out of it now....
"F.... Fine..." I agree reclucticantly. I get up and go get my backpack.
"Ben? Could you go get Rose and Violet? Tell them to get the suitcases please." Nikki told him. She got up and felt for the guitar I bought her.
"Now I can't forget this, can I?" She said, rather cheery.
"You do relize your life is in danger, right?" I ask her, feeling a bit worried for her mental health.
"Of course I do silly! But I feel safe with you... It'll all be fine, you know that, right?" Nikki said, and for the first time since Chris called, I smiled.
