Escape to London: A Roleplay

Liam nods, Alyssa rubs his neck knowing he must be worried.

Later that night, the living room to themselves and watching The Walking Dead, the states is obvious months ahead but he didn't care.

They curled up to each other and soon a steamy scene was on, she looked at him and he was already thinking the same thing. They kiss each other, as he moved his hand underneath her shirt, off it went.

He rolls her below him. He's helped out of his own shirt and she feels down his sculpted body. He kisses her again to her neck, to her nipple that he pushed out if the bra, she gasped and gripped his shoulder.

He unzips her pants and soon his own, his hand brushed past her clit and she moaned, her foot hitting a lamp.

They both broke off when the lamp hit the floor - it caused quite the crash for something so small. Alyssa and Liam went dead silent for a moment, waiting for either Ezra or Gwen to pop their heads out of their rooms. After a few seconds and no further sounds, Alyssa's wide eyes landed on Liam's again, and seconds later, they were both laughing. He quieted her with a kiss and their laughter turned to groans when his hand continued its movements between her legs, his tongue swirling around her nipple.

The second she plunged her hand down his jeans and grasped him, a gun clicked audibly behind them. Both gasped and spun around, and Alyssa reached up quickly to cover her breast, her jeans riding too low for comfort for the man standing before them.

Ezra winced and looked away, lowering his handgun. He'd clearly rushed out of bed in a panic, nothing on but a pair of sweatpants. She took the moment to slide an arm between her thighs, awkwardly hunched over to preserve her modesty, or whatever was left of it.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ," Ezra cursed, putting a fist to his eye to rub away the sleep. "You two."

Alyssa could have died of embarrassment. In a month's time, he'd become somewhat of a father figure in a weird way. She respected him, however intimidating he could be at times. And now, he'd seen more of her than he'd ever wanted to. She was redder than the wallpaper behind their heads. "Sir," she murmured, nodding in greeting.

He sighed. "Keep it in the fuckin' bedroom, will you?" He took a step backward toward his guest room, then pointed the gun toward the fallen lamp. "That thing better not be broken."

Liam sits back,m it embarrassed at all and looks to Ezra, "Thanks for the advice...." Both men narrow their eyes at each other.

Ezra walks off too tired and impatient.

The two love birds turn the tv off and head to bed, once they are inside the room and the door is shut, Liam takes her aggressively "not even close to finished..."

He forces her to turn around and place her hands on the bed, moments later he was inside her and she moaned, Liam kisses the back of her neck and grips her hair as he pounds into her, with a month of no sex, he was definitely making up for it.

--------------
The next 3 days, they made appearances with the family even though leaving the bedroom wa the worst feeling. Liam was soon off to do this modelling thing, he could not believe he was agreeing to this but he did agree and Charlie is even the photographer and will look good for the guys career.

Liam gives Alyssa a kiss and tells her she get a nice break, he winks at her and soon is off. They get back to Manhattan and attend the photoshoot.

Bright and early the next morning, Alyssa awoke, took a shower, and appeared outside Ezra's room with toasted bagels, apple butter, cream cheese, and juice at nine o'clock on the dot. He called her in before she could knock.

She strode in and offered him a smile, placing the tray on top of his bedside table. "Morning, Detective."

He looked up from stacks of case files strewn on top of his bed and smiled in return. Though it disappeared as quickly as it had come, she appreciated the response. She still couldn't help but remember being caught in that compromising position with Liam, and each time she did, her cheeks turned pink.

"Thanks, kiddo." He reached for a half of a bagel and slathered some apple butter on top, then took a bite, chewing thoughtfully as he pored over the pages. "That 2004 incident you had at school," he began, pointing to her little black notebook. "The Mason Jefferies murder, if I recall. You had a witness, you said?"

"I was a teacher's assistant so it was just her, but I forget her name."

He nodded. "I'm still working on pulling your records. It's not a big deal."

She shifted in the wooden chair across from his bed. "Is everything okay? Did you talk to Captain Bennett?"

He grunted in response. "He still doesn't feel quite comfortable until we've got a good list of witnesses lined up. I've looked over autopsies and ME reports to prove the small details like nail polish, scars, tattoos, et cetera, that you marked in your book. Enough witnesses will back up your alibis. We want this to be solid."

Alyssa busied herself with buttering her bagel to hide her nerves when she asked her next question. "Will he need to meet with me?"

Ezra swallowed his next bite and took a sip of orange juice. "Sure, eventually." When he looked up and saw her face twisting, he nudged her knee. "Don't go stressing, kid. He wouldn't be putting this much effort and faith into this if he didn't trust me, and I wouldn't be going to bat for you if I didn't trust you. There's no denying what happened at that hotel. You saw it happen before he got to us. We have the dead maid to prove it."

She nodded. "You're right. Thanks."

He finished up his breakfast and set his plate back on the tray. "Have you had any more visions?"

Alyssa shook her head. "No, sir. Not since the hotel."

"We are pretty secluded. Your visions work within a certain radius. Small place like this, not many people are going around killing each other." He chortled. "You'd think you'd have chosen to live somewhere far from New York City."

She shrugged. "My mom had her shop in Manhattan, and I was hellbent on getting into Juilliard."

"But you didn't finish classes. You left a month before graduation."

She sighed and pushed aside the rest of her breakfast. "I had a vision of one of my classmates being killed. It screwed me up. I'd never witnessed someone I actually knew. That's why I rushed into the police station that day. I just... broke, I guess."

They sat in silence for a while, Ezra scribbling down notes and arranging files into a binder. She'd given him all the witnesses she could think of, and the rest was up to the little black notebook to prove. She hoped this would all blow over soon.

Suddenly, Ezra placed the binder on the bed beside him and stood. "You've been wanting to go to that cafe down the street. Let's go."

She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "Really? But I thought-"

"We were lying low?" he finished for her. "Yeah, but it's not healthy to stay pent up. It's been a month and the most you've done is sit at a creek. Cafe is so small, I highly doubt we'll be drawing any attention to ourselves."

He threw on a suit jacket, but before he had a chance to button it, she was on him, trapping him in an embrace. He became as still as a statue, his arms awkwardly floating at his sides, until finally he gave in and hugged her back gingerly. "Thank you," she gushed, excitement bubbling over something as simple as a fresh cup of coffee, and now more than ever, she reminded him of his sweet Emma. She would have been near Alyssa's age now. They'd have made good friends. He cleared his throat and awkwardly patted her back, his voice gruff when he spoke. "You're welcome, kid."

With one last squeeze, she stepped back, announcing that she'd ask her mother to come as well, and then she was gone.

---

Caleb:


Cuppa Joe's was a tiny cafe within walking distance from their current residence. The moment they stepped inside, the smell of coffee hit them, causing Gwen and Alyssa to moan. There were only two patrons loitering inside, one lounging in a chair as he thumbed through emails on his phone, and a college-aged girl idly reading a book in the corner. Ezra was relieved the place was nearly empty.

They each ordered coffees and found themselves a table at the back. When Alyssa's order was called, she rose to get her coffee and turned when the bell above the door dinged. Someone had just walked in. She almost dropped her coffee when she saw who it was.

When his eyes met hers, they widened and his face broke into a smile, his dimples on full display. "Alyssa?"

"Caleb!"

Ezra and Gwen watched as they walked up to each other and embraced. Gwen patted Ezra's hand to put him at ease. "Caleb is an old friend from Stuyvesant High," she explained. "They studied together all the time."

Alyssa was the last to break away, bouncing on her feet from happiness. "My god, it's been what, almost seven years?"

Caleb laughed. "Yeah. Wow, you still look great." His eyes went past hers to Gwen and Ezra's table. "No way, Mrs. Giordano?" He walked up and extended his arms when Gwen stepped down from her stool to give him a hug. "Caleb Parker, you handsome devil! I see you tamed that mop on your head."

He chuckled. "Yeah, the fiancée cleaned me up nicely. You look as radiant as ever, Mrs. G." He looked from a beaming Gwen to a dour Ezra and politely offered his hand. Ezra introduced himself quickly and returned the shake, but continued to watch Caleb intently. If Alyssa were guessing right, Ezra felt almost possessive. She wondered when he'd own up to his attraction to Gwen and get it over with, but his denial was entertaining to watch.

"You have to tell me all about this fiancée," Alyssa exclaimed, leading him toward the front counter so that he could place his order. "Do I know her? Did she go to school with us?"

"No, no," he replied sheepishly, heat rising to his cheeks. "We met when I was interning at a radio station during college. Her name's Amy. She's great." When someone appeared behind the counter, he leaned forward and ordered himself a coffee. "So, you new here? I haven't seen you around."

She nodded. "Yeah, I'm trying out seclusion for a while."

He laughed. "Good choice. Well, this is my favorite cafe, so it's mandatory you try the blueberry muffins." He quickly added two of them onto his order, and she watched in fascination as he moved and spoke with confidence. It was a far cry from the sheepish, awkward boy she'd known in high school. She'd been his only friend, and after being named the freak that screamed and seized in class, she was lucky to have him around. She'd always suspected he'd wanted more from her, and though she'd tried, she couldn't get herself to reciprocate his feelings for her. He was a damned good friend, though, and she was delighted that he'd found someone.

When his order was ready, he led her toward a separate small table and pulled out her chair first before seating himself. He handed her a massive blueberry muffin and she took it with a thank you, peeling off the wrapper slowly. "It's absolutely loaded with berries," he told her with a smirk. "I remember those used to be your favorite."

She smiled. "They still are." She took a bite and closed her eyes when the flavors hit her tongue. Not too buttery, not too sweet, and as promised, loaded with fruit. "Holy crap, that's good."

"Wouldn't steer you wrong, Lyss." He pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket and slid to the home screen. "Here's Amy."

The background photo featured him and a beautiful freckled redhead, her eyes full of laughter, his full of love. Her heart swelled. "Oh, Caleb, she's beautiful. You guys are so cute together! When's the wedding?"

"It's going to be a winter wedding. December twelfth. Hey, I can take your number and keep you updated if you want to come and bring your family. The location isn't set in stone." Alyssa pulled out the cardboard slip that came over her coffee cup and he handed her a pen. She quickly jotted down her cell number and gave it back. "How are you, by the way?" he asked. "You seeing someone?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I am. His name is Liam; I met him in London a few months ago. I'm liking where it's headed." She dug inside her pockets for her own phone, then presented him with a photo of her and Liam, his arms wrapped around her from behind, his head propped on her shoulder. He smoldered at the camera, a devilish smirk on his lips.

"Good-looking dude," Casey commented, nodding in approval. His dimples were back, big time. "I guess it's true what they say about things looking up after high school, huh? Look at us, with our gorgeous partners and our shit halfway figured out."

They spent the next half hour reminiscing and catching up on all that was new. Alyssa easily skirted around saying anything incriminating. He knew nothing out her visions - to him, they had been clusters. He didn't need to know the gruesome details. His life was finally full of happiness and contentment and she wouldn't ruin it. They ended their evening with a hug and a goodbye when his phone chimed with a text from Amy about wedding plans. With a promise to call her about invitations and a farewell to Gwen and Ezra, he left the shop, coffee in hand.

Feeling contented, she finished the last of her muffin and joined Gwen and Ezra. When they returned home, she checked the time. Liam would be back at his room at the Four Seasons Hotel by now, having finished his shoot. She called, eager to check in. Barely a day had passed and she already missed him more than she thought possible.

Liam just was walking in as his phone rang, he answered and heard it was Alyssa. He told her all abo this photoshoot and everyone must be nuts because he's meeting with a models agency this week. He confessed he wasn't sure about doing this for a living but for now, it allowed him to be in New York and be with Alyssa!


He listened to his she wanted to get together with an old friend, who happened to be a guy. Curious about this one, he agreed and they met up that Thursday evening at a nice restaurant.

"How does a guy...be friends with you, is what I want to know?" He said, with a smirk and looked at the menu while they waited for the other couple to show up.

Alyssa laughed. "He definitely doesn't feel that way about me anymore." She looked around the restaurant; it was nice for being in a small village like the one they were in; she hadn't expected the expensive decor and dressed up servers. A man in the far corner of the restaurant played jazz tunes on a piano. "I can't believe Detective Pierce let me leave without him."

Just then, Caleb strode into the restaurant, Amy's arm looped through his. They walked up to Alyssa and Liam, and Alyssa immediately went for another hug to greet him, then did the same to Amy. "You look amazing," she gushed, taking in the lacy black dress Amy wore. "It's so nice to meet you!"

She stepped back and pointed toward Liam, who'd risen from his seat. "This is Liam. Liam, Caleb and his fiancée, Amy."

Liam shook their hands, and soon both couples were sitting down, enjoying champagne and friendly conversation. As the evening wore on, the less prepared they were to hop in a car and drive home, their bellies full and their brains drunk on booze. Caleb slapped the table and slung an arm around Amy's shoulders. "You guys are new here. Let's walk around the village. There are some sweet vintage shops in the area."

Alyssa looked down at her watch, uneasy. She'd promised Detective Pierce she'd be back at a reasonable hour. She gave Liam a questioning glance, unsure of what to say. She wanted more than anything to have a normal life and a normal time out with normal friends, but now that she had a taste, she was nervous. She wanted to be smart, but the alcohol wanted something different. "I don't know..."

Liam snorted. "Come on, live a little. It's just a few shops. I'll have you home before Ezra has a coronary."

Feeling like a rebellious teenager, she grinned and stood, motioning for Liam to follow. "All right then, let's check it out!"

---

They perused every item in an old record store first, then left, hanging onto the doorway leading out of the building. The fresh night air didn't do much to help.

"This doesn't make much sense," Caleb slurred, running a hand through his hair. "I apologize, guys. I'm not normally such a lightweight."

Alyssa's vision was swimming; everything was a blur. She stumbled over her own foot and leaned into Liam. He, in turn, crashed against the wall of the building, his arms wrapping around her and holding her close.

"No, I feel it too," he chimed in, looking around himself as if the streetlights had the answers he needed. "I feel sick."

Alyssa nodded and groaned, seeing Amy hunched over in the corner of her eye, dry heaving. "I think we should call Ezra." She reached into her pocket for her phone and thumbed through her contacts. It took all she had to keep her eyes open, and with her finger hovering over the detective's name, she fell, bowling over Liam in the process.

He nudged her, but she didn't budge in the least. She was out like a light, and soon the rest were dropping like flies. Amy went next, dropping to her knees and then her side on the hard concrete. Caleb dove to pick her up, but she was as gone as Alyssa. Liam's eyes drifted closed as he lay halfway underneath her, her chest pressed against his stomach, her head resting in the crook of his neck.

Caleb was the last one standing when he saw a pair of shiny black boots approaching. Eyes nearly closed, he swayed, begging for assistance from the stranger in the nice outfit. "Please help..."

He collapsed, hard, at Callum Taylor's feet.

---

Ezra was a ball of nerves as he sat at home with Gwen, clenching his fists and pacing, his eyes glued to his phone. He had been checking in with Officer Peters, the man he'd called to follow Liam and Alyssa to make sure nothing happened to them, and the man had been diligent, sending texts from a few tables away, clad in plainclothes so as to stay relatively unseen. He'd even gone so far as to detail the brand of champagne they had ordered. Leaving now, will follow, his last text read.

Five minutes passed, and then another five, and then another ten. Ezra had texted four times in a row and had yet to get a response. He'd heard nothing from the couple, either. Had he been wrong about Caleb or had Callum returned?

His thoughts going places far too dark, too early, he rose and stuffed his handgun into the back of his pants.

Gwen stood as well and reached out for him, her hand gently grasping his arm. "Ezra, I'm sure they're fine."

Ezra shook his head. "We got too comfortable, Gwen. I wanted her to be happy so I stupidly sent her out under another man's protection without me. I should have gone."

"It's only been twenty minutes."

"And Alyssa would never once, not once, keep me waiting for a text. She knows the reality of her situation. Same with the dipshit cop I hired to watch her."

Charlie rose from his chair in the corner. "Go, Detective. I'll lock up and keep an eye out here."

Ezra was far from confident that they could handle themselves, but Alyssa was at the root of this investigation. She and Liam didn't have the luxury of a security system when they were out and about, and Ezra didn't have the time to sit and think about his options.

"Lock the doors and windows," he ordered as he headed toward the front door. "If you hear even the slightest noise, call the police."

With that, he was gone. He pulled his car into the restaurant's parking lot and walked inside. It was close to closing time; there were only a few customers strewn about. His eyes zeroed in on the man sitting slumped over his table and he steeled himself before walking up. If he didn't keep calm, he'd murder the asshole on the spot.

"Peters!" he barked, leaning over the table to squeeze his shoulder, hard. The man didn't budge. "Peters, you worthless piece of shit, wake the fuck up!"

When he still didn't get a response, he looked the officer over for any injuries. There were none that he could see. Had he been injected with something? Drugged? Immediately, he took in the champagne glass on the table and his stomach dropped. He hoped to god that he was wrong in his assumptions.

Fed up, he grabbed Peters by the back of the head, picked it up, and slammed it back down on the table. A muffled cry sounded out between his lips and the tablecloth when he was jolted awake. Nose pouring blood, Peters looked up, his eyes going wide with fright when he saw the fury in Ezra's eyes.

"Detective-"

"Congratulations, you dumb fuck, you were drugged," he scowled, stepping away from the table.

"What?"

He ignored the question. "Did you see which way they went?"

Peters shook his head. "No, but... something about vintage shops."

Ezra knew where to go. He left the cop bleeding in his wake and sprinted down the street. Within minutes, he found Liam and a dressed up redhead lying unconscious on the walkway. There was no sign of Alyssa, nor Caleb. Ezra crouched and shook Liam.

"Kid, wake up." Nothing. He shook him a little harder, and finally, he resorted to his next option. He drew back his hand and smacked him across the face. "Wake up!"

Liam's eyes fluttered open and he looked up in confusion, then shock, as if he were registering what had happened.

Ezra grabbed a fistful of Liam's shirt and hauled him to his feet. His anger had made him panicked and impatient and he had no time to ask who was okay and how they felt about it. He was in the mood to crack skulls.

He held onto Liam and looked him in the eyes. "Alyssa's gone."

Liam looked at Ezra in fear, "I had..., I suddenly just passed out. I don't know what happened! We have to go look for her right now"

Ezra pushes him back, "You didn't listen to me, I knew this whole night out was a big mistake!"

Liam looks at Ezra and gets up in his face, "She might die. Thanks to this whole idea....,I get that we fucked up. Now, let's go find her and don't question on me helping you do it!"

When Alyssa awoke, she felt as if she'd drunk the entire bar instead of a few glasses of champagne. Her head was pounding and foggy and she struggled to remember what had happened.

She remembered collapsing in the street, and that was it.

The room was unbearably cold. Something on her hands felt thick and sticky. The heavy smell of iron permeated the air. She heard a rustle around her and opened her eyes. Panic rose within her when she saw that she surrounded by the police. And she was completely naked.

"Freeze!" the one closest to her shouted. "On your knees, hands behind your head!"

She was naked. Red coated her porcelain skin. It was blood, and her hands and arms were coated in it.

"I- I didn't, I don't know what happened," she stammered, her voice shrill, eyes wide. She wrapped her arms around her body, desperate to cover up. Five men, all in uniform, stood with their guns pointed at her head.

She cried out when she saw who she sat next to. Caleb, as nude as she, lay lifeless on the single mattress by her. He'd been stabbed to death, and the bloodied knife at his side was evidence of it.

No. No, no, no. Tears filled her eyes. "Caleb?" Her voice trembled. She struggled to breathe. "Oh, god, no."

"On your knees!" the officer commanded again, his voice rising. "Now!"

"Caleb," she whimpered. "Oh my god. Oh my god."

She wasn't given another chance to obey. The officer grabbed her by the shoulder and shoved her face-down on the ground. The others rushed to cuff her as she wailed, screaming Caleb's name, Liam's name, and proclaiming her innocence. She needed to know where Liam was. Detective Pierce, her mom, Charlie. Were they okay? What had happened? Filled with dread, she stared at Caleb's body and sobbed for her friend.

He was dead because of her. Of that, she was sure.

She gave up the fight and went silent as they wrapped her in a blanket and ushered her out of the room.

---

Detective Sanders:


The police had taken photos and samples; they'd allowed her to wash off only after all evidence was taken and bagged. It felt like forever waiting for someone to give her something more than a blanket. Eventually they handed her a sweatshirt and a pair of sweatpants three sizes too big. She still didn't feel clean. Every time she blinked, she saw Caleb. She saw his eyes, devoid of light, and she saw his blood on her skin. She smelled it in the air.

There were jagged slashes along her arms. Defensive wounds, the police claimed. As if she had done this. As if she had killed her best friend from high school.

And now she waited in a cold metal chair, her head bowed over a scratched black table, in the center of an interrogation room. A good hour must have passed before the doorknob turned.

In walked a man she hadn't seen before; he looked about Ezra's age, perhaps older. His eyes were hard, his lips set in a thin line, suit sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His forearms were thick and laced with veins, his shoulders broad, hair cut military-style. She'd bet anything he was a veteran of some sort.

She jumped when he slammed the door behind him.

"Think we didn't read your files, Giordano?" he asked, stepping toward her with a smile but his eyes held anything but humor. "Kinda puts a kink in the whole visions excuse, doesn't it? You waking up ass-naked next to a dead man?" He pulled out the chair across from her, the shriek of the metal dragging across the floor almost deafening, and sat down, arms crossed. "What happened? You get a little too tuckered out from all that stabbing?"

Alyssa was shaking. Scared. Confused. She didn't know how to convince them. She knew how it looked. She also knew exactly who had put her there. "I swear I didn't do this." Her voice was raspy, her throat dry, and each word trembled as it left her lips. "Please, I didn't do this." She grew more desperate as each second passed by. "I need Detective Pierce." Her eyes were wide. She looked around the room in a panic. "Callum's out there. It's not safe."

She detective's eyebrow quirked. "Bravo on the performance, Giordano, truly." He leaned forward. "Tell me about this Callum."

She wouldn't budge. "Detective Pierce, I need Detective Pierce. He knows. He believes me."

"Answer the question, Giordano."

Alyssa wasn't sure whether it was shock or sheer madness overtaking her. She couldn't sit around and answer questions. She needed Ezra. She needed Liam. She needed her family to be okay. "Sir, you don't understand. I need the detective. I need Liam, my mom, Charlie-"

The man across from her pounded his fist on the table, jerking her out of her stupor. "Hey! Answer the goddamn question!"

She shook her head. "I get to call someone, that's my right." With newfound resolve, she sat straighter in her seat, closing herself off from the pissed off man at the other end of the table. "I didn't do this and Caleb was my friend and I need my boyfriend. I need Detective Pierce. I need to call Detective Pierce."

The officer was pissed. She stiffened when he stood and took a step toward her, his fists clenched. He stopped and breathed in deeply, then pointed at her, his jaw clenched. "He might've believed you then, but he sure as hell won't now. We've got a dead body and defensive wounds and skin tissue beneath the victim's fingernails. You're doing down the second we get those DNA results, you understand me?"

She swallowed hard. She didn't want to fold. She'd come too far and proven too much. Ezra had to believe her. "I was drugged," she said weakly, clasping her hands together between her knees. "I was drugged and it was Callum." Tears came to her eyes for the second time that evening. Her head was pounding and her heart hurt the worst. "I was drugged and Callum killed my best friend and framed me." A sob tore through her. Her face twisted and her body folded itself in half, her chin meeting her thighs as she shook. "Oh god, Caleb's dead and he died because of me."

The cop wasn't getting anything from her and it was obvious. A few seconds later, the door slammed again. She was too lost in her misery to notice.

---

Ezra had already called the house on their way. Gwen was in hysterics and it tore his heart to shreds to hear her cry. It was his fault they were in this mess and Alyssa was missing because he'd gotten too confident. Because he'd opted to stay home and watch over Gwen and let Liam and a stranger protect Alyssa.

Every bone in his body ached with worry. He was tense as he drove. He instructed Liam to dial a friend on the police force; bluetooth took over and played the conversation over the speakers.

"Callum Taylor," Ezra barked. "He's here in the US. I need to know where he's staying, how the hell he got here without anyone noticing-"

"Detective-"

Ezra froze. The world spun. "What? Morgan, what are you gonna tell me?"

Morgan's sympathetic voice carried through the speakers, his voice soft. "Your girl was arrested, Detective. She's at the station. A man named Caleb Parker was stabbed to death and she was at the scene."

Liam and Ezra looked at each other and drove off to the station without a word to each other. They made their way to the station.

All Liam could think of was that Alyssa is alive, the fear deep down something happened to her. They walk into the police station, Liam goes up to the front desk and demands they let him see Alyssa, Ezra calmly and impatiently places his hand on the kids shoulder and shoves him to the side.

Ezra's deep voice commanded attention. He was doing all he could to remain calm. "I'm gonna ask this once. Where's Alyssa Giordano?"

The woman behind the counter stared back at Ezra with a frown. "She's in the middle of an interrogation. You're going to have to wait-"

Ezra backed away from the counter and simply stormed past while the woman stood, flustered. "Sir!"

Liam trailed behind Ezra as he made his way down the long corridors and around passing officers. No doubt the lady at the desk had paged the others. The next officer stepped in front of Ezra, hand raised. "This is not your precinct, Detective. You can't interrupt this investigation-"

Ezra shoved him, hard. He landed with his back against the wall. "The fuck I can't," Ezra muttered. He didn't stick around for the man to call for backup; his footsteps pounded down the hall and stopped outside the room with INTERROGATION printed on the door.

He shoved it open and stepped inside. Alyssa looked up, her knees hugged against her chest, eyes filled with tears. He breathed a sigh of relief as Liam raced forward to take her into his arms.

Ezra couldn't ignore the look Liam had on his face, it was one of admiration. He stood still, as Liam held Alyssa in his arms.

He moves her away, looks at her and holds her face in his hands "Are you okay? Did...anything else happen to you? You know I believe you, I know this is all Callum...I was drugged too!"

Alyssa's body shook with sobs. She reached up and grabbed the hands holding her face. He was warm, so warm. And he believed her.

"I don't know what happened," she cried, her gaze moving from Liam to Ezra to Liam again. "I woke up and we were naked and the police were yelling at me to get up. Caleb was... Oh god, he was dead, and he was stabbed, and there was so much blood." She backed away and held her arms up between them. "They're saying he fought me and my skin is gonna be underneath his nails and I've got cuts from the stabbing. How am I getting out of this?"

Ezra walked toward her, and because she was seated, he knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out. I've got Captain Bennett headed down. If they won't listen to me, they'll listen to him."

Alyssa's eyes held nothing but fear. "Detective, that was then. I just woke up next to my dead friend!"

His hand moved from her shoulder to her hair. He cradled the back of her neck and pierced her with his gaze. "Listen to me, kid. Look at me." She did. She wanted more than anything for him to reassure her, no matter how doubtful she remained. "We're gonna figure this out, sweetheart. We'll have you tested. We'll prove you were drugged. The autopsy is gonna prove the same."

The autopsy. Speaking of the reality was one thing, but hearing it verified was another. Her friend was dead. He had been brutally murdered. There would be an autopsy. Her friend, whose wedding was on December twelfth to the beautiful redhead Amy, was lying in a morgue somewhere and she was the main suspect.

She broke down. Her cries filled the room. Liam held onto her tightly, rubbing her back in soothing circles as she wailed. "He's dead," she sobbed, her face buried in Liam's chest. "He's dead because of me."

Liam holds her again, "Baby, he's dead because of this psychopath not you. You didn't do anything..."

He looks to Ezra, "What happens now? I'm assuming she can't just leave with us...?"

Captain Bennett:


Ezra didn't want to say it, but it was true. She wasn't going anywhere. Not tonight, at least. "No. She can't leave."

Just then, the door opened. A round-faced man walked in decked in a suit similar to Ezra's, his eyes kind. One glance at Ezra and Alyssa knew this was the captain. The detective went from on alert to relaxed and stepped forward, hand extended.

"Captain."

"Ezra," the captain said warmly, returning the handshake. "This is a fuckin' mess."

There was no denying that; Ezra nodded. "Unfortunately." He pointed toward the couple in the middle of the room. "Alyssa and Liam, Captain Bennett."

When the Captain stepped forward, Alyssa rose. He offered his hand and she took it. He did the same with Liam before returning his attention to the meek, panicked girl in front of him. "I regret we're meeting under these circumstances, doll, but we're gonna find this asshole."

Alyssa was dumbfounded. "That's it? You believe me?"

With a smirk, he jerked his thumb at Ezra, who stood behind him. "That man there? I've known him since he was thirteen. He'd bite off his own tongue before he told a lie. Good instincts, too."

Ezra grunted, uncomfortable with Bennett's statement. "Tonight, notwithstanding."

The Captain huffed. "That's on the fuckwad you hired to watch these two." He turned back toward the couple. "We're gonna need blood tests done on all of you. I'm told you were with someone else aside from the victim. Where is she?"

Amy. Alyssa's heart broke all over again.

They helped in any way they could, blood tests and statements. Spending as much time as he could, they eventually had to bid her farewell. She would spend the ninth at the station and a great lawyer was set up.

Liam headed back to the house with Ezra, he could hardly look Alyssas mom in the eyes.

Since sleeping wasn't happening, he headed downstairs and to the living room and stops when he sees Ezra holding he exact bottle of bourbon he was going for. As if reading his mind, Ezra poured the kid a glass and handed him it.

Liam took it and drank quietly, Ezra eyes him and says "Spill...I don't think I've seen you thinking this long before."

Liam eyes him, "I'm just starting to like you..." Both men laughed. Liam sat, "I hate that she has to go through all this, it's....just eye opening the life she's going to have and I have no way to help her. All I can do is..."



Ezra looks at him, "You can be their...., she needs you for that. Without a common ground, this kid will not make it on her own."

-----------------

The next day, Liam who wore a great suit picked out by Charlie and Ezra couldn't care less, headed to the court hearing and sat behind Alyssa as she entered and stood before the judge who issued she can be released on bail and have an electronic ankle bracelet on her until trial.

Knowing it could be worse, they took this is a small victory. Liam and Alyssa hugged longer than they had ever before and kissed passionately. Ezra coughed awkwardly and they broke apart.

Alyssa's heart overflowed with love and appreciation for Liam. For Ezra as well. They'd been dating mere months and Liam had more than shown he had the loyalty of a saint. Not many people would stand by someone who made the claims she did, let alone hear her out before dismissing them.

These two men were quickly becoming the most important ones in her life.

"Thank you," she said. "Both of you, I can't thank you enough."

Ezra simply nodded in return, but she knew he cared more than he let on. He had been affected by this almost as much as she had. Without warning, she crossed the small distance between them and hugged him, hard. This time he didn't hesitate; he hugged her back and smoothed his hand down her hair. "I promise you, sweetheart, we're gonna fix this."

She nodded and pulled away. The bracelet around her itched. "I don't get why they're letting me go. Even with the bracelet, there's still the DNA."

Her lawyer, Rick Morrison, spoke. "Blood tests prove you were drugged." He patted her on the shoulder. "Listen to the detective, Alyssa. We can win this. Don't worry, go home, get some rest in a real bed."

That sounded nice. She was too tired to argue, and she wanted nothing more than to return home, to lie in the safety of Liam's arms.

With a small smile, she grabbed Liam's hand. "Let's go home."

Liam did everything he could, too be by Alyssa's side. Charlie would call him and remind him of work but he just couldn't leave her, not after what happened. It had been a week and her trial was being discussed daily with a lawyer who came to visit.

Alyssa herself convinced him to go, get out and enjoy is new career he was embarking on. With a kiss, he left for hours and would crawl back into bed with her during the night.

Early one morning, he kissed her goodbye before she even woke and met up with Charlie at location. It was a warehouse, Charlie said he liked the rustic vibe of it and would be perfect to showcase the jeans Liam would be modelling.

Alyssas mom gave him a drive to the location and he got out of the car, heading to the front doors and walked in. He looked around, "Charlie...?" No answer, "You know I'm not going to call you Charlize..."

Gwen had finally convinced Alyssa to crawl out of bed and busy herself with something other than waiting for Liam to return. She was heartbroken and grieving Caleb, and all she could talk about was wanting to call Amy to explain and apologize. Gwen convinced her to give it a little time.

"Thanksgiving is just around the corner," Gwen had told her, desperate to see a smile on her daughter's face. "Come on; we'll make your famous pumpkin cheesecake for the boys."

And so they stood in the kitchen, adding ingredients to the mixer, chopping up the homemade praline mix they'd pulled from the oven. Alyssa didn't want to worry over Liam and Charlie, but she did. Callum had yet to be apprehended. He wasn't finished with them and he never would be until he was either behind bars or dead.

She chose to speak to distract herself, knowing Ezra was far enough away, lost in case folders and witness statements. "You and Detective Pierce?" she prodded, spooning out a tablespoon of cinnamon and adding it to the bowl.

Gwen snorted. "That man. He's so serious, it's unreal."

Alyssa shrugged. "He's opening up. He wants you and it's so obvious."

Her mother winked. "Well, of course. Maybe when all this is over, he'll take your old mama on a date." She dusted a thin sheet of flour off of her skirt. "It'll be a nice excuse to shave above the knees for once."

Alyssa turned bright red. "Jesus, Mom."

Gwen smirked, but in an instant, Alyssa's vision blurred. She was no longer in the kitchen, but in a warehouse. Ropes rubbed at her wrists and ankles. She'd been stabbed - the pain pulsed through every inch of her body.

No, no, no. Charlie.

She knew. From the location to the color of his skin to the frantic thoughts running through his head.

Callum's face came into view, and he smiled sickly in greeting. "Afternoon, Alyssa. So sorry about that whole mix-up with the police, but well, snitches get snitches. Or their friends do."

"No!" She knew she was screaming. Charlie was screaming. Gwen's arms wrapped around her, holding her, whispering in her ear. She could only hear Charlie and what went on in his mind. Through his thoughts, he spoke to her.

"Don't worry, Alyssa, okay? I love you."

He cared only for her, even through his pain, even though his death was imminent. Alyssa screamed, desperate to stop the inevitable from happening as Callum plunged a knife into his heart.

Liam walked further into the warehouse and soon saw lights set up, getting closer and spots Charlie, on the floor. His eyes open, blood just everywhere.

He hurries over to him and looks more how he's clearly been stabbed and dead, shock took over him and hears movement behind him. He looks around, "You are a fucking piece of shit..., you know if I get my hands on you, it's over but the coward you are, you won't face me!" Snaps out loud and soon you hear a door open and close.

Liam runs after the noise and goes outside, to see nothing at all. It was moments of panic, Charlie's car in the nearby distance.

He turns to go back inside, when another car pulls up and Ezra steps out of it. He hurries over to Liam and the kid can see how shaken up he looks.

Ezra was overwhelmed. He couldn't be two places at once. He could never do everything for his group that he wanted to. His heart broke for them, for the loss of Charlie. He'd run into the kitchen hearing her scream, knowing Callum's death toll had risen. He'd broken every speed limit along the way in his rush to get to Liam.

He breathed a sigh of relief and stepped toward Liam, seeing the despair in the kid's eyes. "Liam," he called out, his tone full of caution. He wanted to handle this delicately, but he didn't quite have the time to stand around, either. He looked around to check for any sign of Callum before placing his hands on the kid's shoulders in what he hoped was a comforting move.

"I'm sorry, kid. I am. Listen, I called the police and they're on their way, but we've gotta get out of here. He'll be long gone if he's smart."

Liam nods, "I heard him leave...the bastard waited till I got here and found Charlie. He sees Ezra's face, "Alyssa...., I know she had to have seen it. Fuck!"

The yelli did not stop and finally the men raced to the house, Liam ran inside and found Alyssa unconsolable. He gently touches her moms shoulder and Alyssa is soon in his arms instead, crying out for Charlie. She was pale and shivering. Liam had never seen her this bad.

He held her so tight, letting her scream and yell, do whatever she had to. Even use Liam as a punching bag, he didn't care. Whatever she needed.


Minutes turned to hours, as they made their way to bed and he held her closely still. He looks at her, she faces him. She looks at him blankly and he strokes her hair behind her ear. They had nothing to say to each other.

Three days had passed since losing Charlie. She had been cleared to attend his funeral, and they'd been escorted by the police for protection. She spoke more words in his eulogy than she'd said since that day. She stuck to one-word, monotone answers. She was empty, and broken, and as far as she was concerned, Callum had won. If destroying her had been his goal, he had more than accomplished it.

For the past week, she lay next to Liam, silent. They didn't make love; they slept. He held her and she took comfort in his arms.

Even when the police informed her that surveillance video had been unearthed from outside the shop on the night of Caleb's murder, she felt no relief. Even though they had images of Callum's shadowed profile as he dragged her and Caleb out of view, she didn't smile. Her best friend was dead, and no matter what Ezra, Gwen and Liam said, she was to blame. Callum was after her, and he was punishing her for her visions, for being witness to his crimes.

Even with a massive, nationwide manhunt issued for him, she was too far gone inside her own feelings of loss to care.

She missed Charlie.

Liam sat watching the small television mounted on the wall in her bedroom while she checked her email on her laptop. She clicked away, deleting the spam that had piled up in the recent weeks, seeing the numerous worried messages from Davina. She knew she needed to respond, but she hadn't a clue what to say.

She clicked on until she saw an email from an address she didn't recognize. The subject read, A gift for Alyssa.

Before she could back out, her finger pressed down too hard on the trackpad and the email opened. A video popped up on the screen, shaky and shot from a smartphone, heavy music pounding and vibrating through her laptop's speakers.

The camera focused on a man getting a lap dance from behind. A scantily clad stripper crouched above his lap, her legs spread wide, her hips grinding against him.

She heard a voice cheering. "Woohoo! Sweet, isn't she, Liam?"

Alyssa froze. All color left her face as the camera traveled around the side and stopped on Liam's face. His eyes were halfway closed. He groaned in pleasure, slouched drunkenly in his chair as some woman touched his chest, her naked breasts hovering mere inches away from his face.

She wanted to believe this was an old video, but she had heard Callum's fake English accent as clear as day, and it was hard to dispute the date in the bottom right corner.

It was the same day Ezra had come to arrest her.

Liam was just lounging next to her in the bed. Snacking on chips, as he casually moved the bowl to her to have some, he heard his name. He glanced to the video, which seemed to play on repeat and saw it.

The lap dance, he slightly did remember that but he was so drunk by that point. He looks at Alyssa who is staring at him, "That looks bad...., I can give excuses and reasons but it was a long time ago."

Alyssa couldn't believe the words that had just left his lips. She reeled back on the bed, the video taunting her as it played on a loop on her laptop. It filled the screen, and it was relentless. Even when she tried to close it out, it remained. She was pretty sure the email had come with a virus. And though she knew that Callum had sent her the video just to further antagonize her, she couldn't help but feel sick after watching it.

Her stomach rolled. "A long time ago?" she asked incredulously, her voice breaking as she stared back at him. "We were dating!" She hadn't eaten much for breakfast, but she could feel it fighting its way out already. She got up from the bed, and when he rose as if to follow her, she held up her hand to stop him. "I get it. It was the day the detective came to arrest me. Well, if your intent was to punish me, you succeeded."

Without a word more, she turned and ran for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She barely made it to the toilet before emptying the contents of her stomach into the bowl. With the loss of Caleb, of Charlie, of the fear and the paranoia and being stuck in this glorified prison, and now this, she was breaking. She wasn't sure how much more she could take before she decided to deliver herself to Callum on a silver platter.

Overwhelmed with hurt, ignoring Liam as he pounded against the other side of the door, she collapsed in the corner of the bathroom and cried.

Liam leaned against the door, "Alyssa...., I have nothing else to say other than sorry. I wasn't thinking at all, I was confused and....those are excuses. I love you and again, I'm sorry."