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Part 2 AJ and Alexia: Fire

When AJ and Alexia had gotten to her house they sat on her porch and talked a little bit. They shared a bit of their lives, their phone numbers and a soft good night kiss. AJ
practically levitated back to the b and b. Alexia had had a good time and couldn't believe
it when she went inside. She had so many good feelings but a small ripple of doubt went
through her. Would AJ be like Chris? her thoughts plagued her as she drifted off to sleep.
She didn't know but her thoughts would make for one of her worst nightmares yet. If only
she were so lucky that it was a dream. But it wasn't. Her Dreams were her memories.

*nightmare*

"What are you? stupid? You slut!" Chris screamed at her. All Alexia felt was pain, from a
slap that sent her spinning into the wall. "I'm sorry.." Was all she was able to mumble.
"Oh I'm sure you will be." He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her down the hall and
into her room. He shut the door and proceeded to beat the living daylights out of her. It's
not like he hadn't done it before. Only a few days ago actually, but this time was
especially stupid. He didn't like the shirt she'd been wearing. He ripped it off her,
swearing and calling her a whore. All she could do was take it. He was bigger, stronger,
and if she fought back at all he would just beat her more. Finally, she blacked out bloody
and bruised. That's when she woke up.

-the next morning-

AJ bounced out of bed full of energy. He quickly showered and dressed and slapped on
his blades. He felt much more confident on them today and couldn't wait to get to the
park to see Alexia. He slowly made his way there, stumbling only once. He skated over to
the pool and looked in, he saw the others but no Alexia.

"Hey," he called to them "where's alexia?"

The others finally noticed him and stopped skating.

"She had to work" Mackenzy called out to him.

"Oh." He said his smile disappearing "will, she be here later?"

"No, she has rehearsals all day" Kiyla said.

"Rehearsals?"

"She acts at the community theater" Kiyla replied.

"Really?"

"Yeah" Leya said.

"Well can I go see her?"

Jenna climbed out of the pool "I figured you'd want that" she said, "I'll take you there.. I'm
tired of skating."

"You don't have to if you don't want to.."

"It's fine.. Bye guys.." She waved to her friends and headed for the park entrance with AJ.

"She never stays around long...." Mackenzy said.

"Yeah.." Leya and Kiyla said shrugging.

Jenna and AJ were skating through the park entrance when they ran into Brian and Nick.

"Hey" said Brian, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Jenna.

"What's up?" she asked, smiling at him.

"Nothing much.."

"Is Leya skating?" asked Nick

"Yeah she's down there with the others.."

"Sweet.." Said Nick taking off towards the pool.

"So where are you two going?" Brian asked them.

"Just taking AJ to see Alexia.. She had to work today.."

"Oh.. Want me to come?"

"Sure.."

"Well.. if you just tell me how to get there I can go myself.." AJ piped up.

"Okay..." Jenna said. She gave him directions to the theater and he was off.
It took only about ten minutes to walk to the Firevale arts center, slipping into a seat
quietly he watched for only a few minutes until he figured out the play, Beauty and the
Beast. He was impressed by the fact that Alexia had the leading part of Belle. He watched
for almost the entire day, they ended rehearsals around three. Knowing the actors
probably used a side door he slipped backstage in time to see her heading out a door. He
rushed to catch up with her.

"Alexia, hey..."

She turned around happily suprised to see him.
"What's up?"

"Nothing much... you were great out there.. " He said smiling.

She blushed a bit and looked down. "thanks.." She said self consciously.

"So what are you doing the rest of the day?" He asked her, hoping she would say nothing.

"uhm nothing really..." she said.

AJ smiled, they chatted away for a while deciding to hang out for the rest of the day, as
Alexia pushed open the heavy double doors they were greeted by heavy rain.

"Oh shoot. Come on..." She and AJ made a dash for her light blue suv. They had just
about reached it when Alexia stopped in her tracks.

"What is it?" AJ asked stopping beside her.

Alexia just stared at her car speechless as he turned to look at it.

"What the....."

Written all over the car, in gory red.. something... were horrible words.. and insults. "Die"
and "Bitch" were some of the lesser evil ones.

"Alexia who would do this?" AJ asked.

"Chris.." She mumbled. She spun around, knowing that he was there, she felt a wave of
fear hit her as she saw a shadowy figure slip out from behind another car and start
towards them. "Get in the car."

"What... why? who is that?"

"Just get in!" She unlocked the doors and climbed in, shoving the key in the ignition. AJ
climbed into the passenger seat.

"What is going on?!" he asked.

Alexia looked up, now she really recognized the person, only a few feet away. The dark
hair matted by the rain, the cold steel gray eyes.

"Who is he?!"

"A jerk." Was her only reply. She threw the car into gear and peeled out of the lot. They
bounced onto the street and she didn't let up on the gas until they were a few blocks away.

"Alexia what the hell was that all about?" he was looking at her, confused.

"It's nothing.. nothing just that guy... he's a little weird... he bothers me sometimes..." She
was shaking a little with fear.

AJ didn't know what to say. He sat back and watched as the red of the words, he was sure
it was just washoff paint, dripped and smeared in the rain.

"So where do you want to go?" She asked him, in an effort to calm down and change the
subject.

"Anywhere is fine...." he said, still in a bit of shock.

Alexia drove to her house. They dashed inside to avoid being totally soaked. Alexia got
them towels and laughing they dried off and wandered into the kitchen.

"Alexia... really who was that guy..." he asked, watching her rummage around in the
fridge.

She sigh, wondering if she should tell him the truth. "He's just an old boyfriend of mine,
Chris.. He never really wanted to break up but I did, so he's still a bit pissed off at me."
She said quietly.

"That doesn't give him the right to scare you like that." AJ said, a small bubble of anger
rising in him.

"It's okay.. Don't worry about it." She tried to play it cool although she was terrified. She'd
seen the look in Chris' eyes as they drove away.

They spent the rest of the afternoon and evening on her couch, watching movies, talking
and just having fun. After a quick kiss good-bye AJ began to walk back to the bandb, the
rain had stopped and Alexia had seemed tired so he didn't take her offer of a ride. The sky
was still dark with clouds bidding more heavy rain.

midnight

Alexia lay silently in bed, straining her ears trying to hearing any noise. Moments before
she had awoken to the sounds of breaking glass and the clean swish of her backdoor
being opened. She heard footsteps in the hall that stopped outside her door. Her mind
flipped to AJ and how much she wished he was here. She heard the door creak open.
Heard the person approach. She tried desperately to move, to scream, to anything. But she
was frozen, frozen as the person reached her bed, frozen as she heard the ugly words pour
out in a familiar tone. Chris's big hands clamped around her neck. Finally she was able to
move, finally able to try and fight for her life.

1:30+am

The doorbell at the bandb rang out. Kevin Howie and Brian were awake watching some
strange made for TV movie. Kevin got up, wondering who would be here at this time and
opened the door. Outside the rain was ripping down, and someone, a girl, stood just
outside the rectangle of light the lamp in the hall cast out onto the porch. He heard a
sniffle.

"Is AJ here?" an extremely wavery voice asked.

"Alexia? is that you?" Kevin asked, he stepped aside and opened the door wider to let her
in.

She hesitated then stepped inside. Kevin gasped as she entered the light. Howie and Brian
looked over and their jaws dropped.
Alexia stood before them, looking down. Soaking wet and streaked with mud, she was in
her pajamas and bare foot. Her wet hair was matted to her and although her face was wet
they could see she had tears streaming down her face. But that wasn't what made the three
stare in astonishment. It was what else covered her. On her shoulders, arms, and most
notably on her face, were huge dark purple bruises. Kevin ran to wake AJ and rushed him
into the living room. "Alexia?" He asked sleepily. He was jolted awake by the sight of
her. "My God.. What happened?"

"Chris" Was the only word she was able to get out, she buried her face in her hands.

AJ walked over and hugged her tightly. Alexia screamed in pain and stumbled back away
from him into the wall. She was clutching her sides sobbing.
"Come here baby... let me see.." He said in the most comforting voice he could manage.
He slowly lifted her shirt to reveal even more bruises. Black blue purple some even
turning green and yellow.

"Jesus..." He could hardly keep from being sick at the sight.
He looked up at her, face still buried in her hands sobbing. He traced his fingers lightly
over some of the more defined bruises.. They were long and narrow.. She had to have
been hit with something. He got up and carefully put his arms around her.

"Shhhh.... its okay now.. You're safe.."

She fell against him burying her head in his shoulder. Slowly he lead her up the stairs to
his room. Alexia was already regretting coming here. She should have gone to one of her
friends' houses. AJ didn't want to carry her problems.. But she had to admit she felt much
safer with him. He let her calm down and bit and although he was aching for her to tell
him what had happened he let her first take a hot shower and change into some of his
clothes. She came out of the bathroom to find him sitting on his bed. He patted the space
next to himself and she walked over and sat down.

"Alexia... what happened... did that guy.. Chris.. do this to you?" He asked worriedly.

She looked down, not sure if she should tell him. She didn't want to drag him into this.
She didn't want him to get hurt. Besides if he knew that Chris did it what could he do?

"Alexia... tell me."

"Yes... he did." She said quietly.

AJ felt little jets of anger go off inside of him.

"He just broke in while I was asleep.. and he just.. started hitting me..." She sniffled and
tears began to drip down her cheeks again. "Just hitting me and hitting me.. and then he..
took out something... it was a bar or.. a tire iron or something...." She buried her face in
her hands again and kept going, "He just hit and hit... and I tried to fight back.. and I was
able to get away... and get out the door... and I ran here..."

The little jets of anger were becoming bolts. How could anyone do that to a person?
Especially a person like Alexia.. What had she done to deserve this? He gently put his
arms around her. She put her arms around him and hugged as tightly as she could
manage. AJ could feel her trembling in his arms. He let go of her and pulled back the
bedcovers. She painfully and slowly climbed into his bed. He tucked her in and kissed her
forehead. She looked up at him, already drowsy.

"Sweet Dreams"
"thank you AJ..."
"No problem babe..."

He turned to leave the room but felt her grab his arm.
"Please stay... please?" She was looking up at him with pure fear on her face. She didn't
want to be left alone.

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Page Updated Sat Apr 20, 2002 3:04pm EDT