30-Something Reality

Fear

Jared finally arrived a few hours later. My sister had said not one word to me since I blew up at her in the car. She just looked at me after she got Jared up to speed on everything that had happened and what she had done to cover our trails. Using nothing but cash. Luckily we were able to stay under the radar so far as we knew. We did have to get more cash the day before.... So we were a little worried about that. Jared and I would move out the next morning and head for L.A. with yet another car.

"I know you are scared Sarah. But this will all be alright. I promise..." Jeanette tried to talk to me....

All I could do was stare out the window and watch everything I could see moving. I was terrified! "Do you even understand what you are doing Jeanette? Or did you forget I was a psych major in college?" I finally looked at her, "You are doing the same thing you are trying to get me not to do!" I laughed as Connie kicked inside my stomach. "See I have something to fight for now... My daughter is my world, I'm not going to run anymore. Allan will eventually run out of patients and he will track me down.... I'm just not going to be afraid of him anymore! I can't be..." I stood up and hugged my sister. "You have to accept that fact as well. He only has power over me if I let him... You can only run from your fears for so long. I will have to face him, I just have to NOT be afraid..." I looked at her and smiled as she walked towards the door... "It's easier than you think Jeanette..."

Jeanette left and Jared and I were alone... He came over and sat next to me on the sofa. He pulled me in and hugged me, "You're terrified aren't you?" I hugged him and just cried. "You can feed her that bull shit... But not me..." I felt Jared kiss the top of my head, and pull me closer... "I wish she would have listened to you."

I sat up and wiped the tears from my face.... I looked at him, Jared was in tears! "What are you talking about? What did she do?" Jared opened his hand and Jeanette's engagement ring was in the palm of his hand. "Jared! I'm so sorry! This is all my fault!"

"No, it's mine. I rushed her into this. She wasn't ready Siren. She got scared, and I don't blame her. I also couldn't tell her the truth." He took a deep breath and lay his head back... I sat up and just looked at him from a good 3 feet away. "I can't marry her till either of us can walk away from a ghost we both fight."

"Jackson was killed 5 years ago Jared. She has dated since then, why would she push you away? You're everything she has ever wanted!" I touched his hand. He looked like I felt.... 

"I'm not in love with her SIren." Jared blurted out! 

"You have GOT to be kidding me!" I wanted to slap him! Just then I heard a knock at the door. The phone in the room rang... Jared went over to answered it... "Bonjour?" Jared answered the phone softly...

JARED's P.O.V.

"The man you warned us about is in the hotel... The police are on the way...." I heard the front desk clerk on my phone... "Security is on the way to your room now..." 

"Siren, don't open the...." I was too late... She had opened the door and he had her by the throat with a knife as sharp as it was long! At LEAST and 5 inch blade! I threw the phone down and went after him! I lunge after who at this point I'm pretty sure is the bastard that has been stalking Siren for months! I hit him square in the jaw and he drops the blade from her throat. I pull her into me and put her in the bedroom and lock the door with her in the room... "Don't open the door till I tell you to!" I slam it shut and Allan is on me! 

"You're just trying to stop what can't be stopped! She is MINE!" I hear him growl as he swings at me again! 

This time he doesn't connect with my face. But I did with his! He may have given me a black eye, but I knocked him OUT! Just as security came through the door with the police. Allan had escaped from the psychiatric hospital he was in and had been following her ever since. He had rape warrents that matched his DNA in almost every city we had been in!

Two and half hours later the police finally left and the hotel moved us to another suite on another floor. I took Siren in to the new room and put all her stuff and mine in the living room. She was so fragile.... She jumped at every sound she heard....

No surprise that she screamed when I cleared my throat as I set down a cup of tea with honey just the way I knew she liked it. "I'm sorry I scared you...." I sat down on the other side of the couch. She jumped into my arms. "Shhhh... I've got you.... I've got you.... it's over now... It's all over now...."  I pulled her face to me and looked her in the eyes.... "I would NEVER let anything happen to you! NEVER!" I saw the look in her tear filled eyes.... I didn't think... I kissed her! It was stupid... what was I thinking? She hesitated at first and then I felt her kiss me back... I pulled away and looked in her eyes. "I couldn't tell Jean I was in love with you." The look in her eyes broke my heart. She got up, grabbed her back pack, and went into the bedroom and closed the door.  I heard her lock it and pull the chair in front of the door.