When Worlds Collide Ch. 03

"Dylan," he said deathly calm. "You run back up into that room and you get my shot gun. Now."

He heard her take off up the steps and he slowly made his way towards the pickup truck which was currently surrounded by seven large men.

"Reign sweetheart? You alright?" he called out. He could feel his rage reaching unprecedented levels and realized how unsafe it was for these men. He wanted to kill all of them, for bringing this on him. He heard Dylan return and felt her press the twin barrels into his hand. He'd gotten the attention of the group now and he could hear his heart beating in his ears.

"Reign, I didn't hear you. Tap that window if you're alright," he said never taking his eyes off the men now trying to circle him. He heard her frantic tapping and breathed an internal sigh of relief.

"Alright fellas, I don't want no trouble here tonight. Already had me more than I need. I came here to retrieve someone, and now that I've got that person safe and sound I'd rather be on my way."

He watched out the corner of his eye as Dylan rounded the drivers side of the truck and climbed in. Another internal sigh of relief. He took another look at his would be attackers. They looked young, and most of them looked scared. All except two.

"You think that shot gun sposed to scare somebody? Do you know where you are?" The would be leader asked.

"Yes I do, I'm on my way to my car and out of this city never to return again. Like I said, I've had my share of trouble tonight and I'm not lookin' for any more," he stated making his way towards the truck. He was so close, just a few more feet and he could make a run for the driver's side door. That's when one of the boys decided to try and rush him. He planted his size 14 in the boy's chest and sent him flying. Then he pointed the shotgun in the air and fired off a round.

Everyone paused waiting for Camden's next move.

"I'm going to reiterate my statement for the third time, I don't want any trouble. Now, I'm getting in my damn truck," he said rounding the vehicle and hopping in.

All he saw in his rear view mirror was a cloud of dust as they sped away.

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"Are you going to talk to him before he kills us?"

"Shut up Dylan! I'm tryna think damnit!"

The two of them had been going back and forth for the past 45 minutes. Caiden tried his best to ignore it but couldn't. He couldn't escape his anger anymore than he could escape the turbulent memories from flooding back into his mind. It was those fists; his hands were covered in blood. And he couldn't get the blood off. He had to get the damn blood off!

"Caiden? Pull over."

Reign's soft pleading voice invaded the whirlwind that was his angry thoughts and he realized he was weaving in and out of traffic like a madman.

"Please Caiden, just pull over. We need to pull over for a bit okay?"

He looked at the speedometer, and realized it was blurry. He couldn't see it through his own tears. He hit the brakes a little more abruptly than he should have and got a horn from a car behind him. He wanted to yell and went to wind the window down but felt Reign's hand on his arm. He took a deep breath and pulled off the road.

As he emerged from the cab he realized he had no idea where they were. If they were anywhere close to Iowa, it was a miracle. He looked down at his hands and saw it again. The blood was everywhere, covering his hands. He tried to wipe it on his shirt but realized it too was covered. Whimpering, he ripped the shirt from his body and started scrubbing his hands with it.

"I-I can't, I can't get it off!" he cried, the tears once again blurring his vision.

"You can't get what off?" Reign asked, once again by his side. The cold November night creating a cloud of vapor when she spoke.

"The damn blood! I can't get it off my hands! It's all over my hands!"

He was getting out of control and he knew it. Past and present were weaving themselves together and propelling him forward into insanity. His chest was heaving; he couldn't get the air in his lungs fast enough. If he could just get this blood off his hands.

"Caiden," came Reign's calm and soft voice. "Look at me honey."

He turned to her and look her dead in her eyes.

"That's better!" she said smiling. "I need you to take some deep breaths honey, you're hyperventilating. Which is the fastest way to make sure you pass out. Now we don't want that do we?"

Caiden shook his head no, as he continued the deep breathing.

"Good. Now honey I need you to put this sweater on okay? It's so cold out here and you don't have a shirt on, will you do that for me?"

"Oh," he whimpered, the cold finally registering to him. He quickly put the sweater on.

"Oh I know that's better!" she said smiling. She took his hand in hers and they began to walk down the highway, hand in hand.

"Keep that deep breathing up," she said coaching him along. He emulated her and as they got further and further away from the truck he started to feel better.

"You seem a lot calmer now," she stated, staring out at the long expanse of highway. He held her small hand tighter.

"Yeah, I am thanks," he said sheepishly. He was starting to get cold but he couldn't go back to the truck yet.

"You mind telling me what that was all about? I know tonight was hectic but I get the feeling this was more than just tonight's ordeal."

He exhaled a deep breath and watched as it dissipated in the air in front of him. He continued to stare straight ahead. Can't look down. Can't look down at his hands.

"You don't have to talk about it. Not if you don't want to. I just.... I can recognize that turmoil you feel Caiden. I've been there. Hell, I am there most days. But I found out after sheltering the burden of my own... demons, shall we say, that it's a whole hell of a lot easier if you share it with someone. Doesn't have to be today or anything, but I just want you to know I'm here for your Caiden. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm here to listen."

He began to pant, as emotion gripped his throat. He wanted to tell her everything. He plopped himself down on the road side and she followed suit. They sat in silence for a bit before he finally spoke.

"As long as I can remember I've... I've always had this same nightmare. Every single night I have this dream. My father is standing over me. I'm in a crib I think. I'm just a baby."

He paused again, trying to figure out if he was doing the right thing.

"I-I.... it was his hands I remember. They were covered in blood. He picks me up and the blood is all over my clothes."

He stopped altogether, trying to will the tremor out of his voice.

"I want to believe I am nothing like him. He was a horrible man my father. I know this. My family though, they's too good to allow me to be otherwise. When I was a kid, I started havin problems though. Anger problems. I started gettin' into fights. Throwin these fits, mama didn't really know how to handle it. I ever tell you all this?" He asked glancing at her. She shook her head no.

"Yeah, well if there's one thing I took from my father, it's that. I can keep it to a minimum, though. It's not a big part of me but there are times, Like tonight. When I loose myself within the angry part of me... I have no idea how long I was punching him but it wasn't until Dylan grabbed me that I stopped."

He turned to her and the look in his eyes pinned her to the concrete beneath her.

"I need you to know that I am nothing like him okay? I would never ever hurt you, you understand me?"

She nodded in response.

"Caiden, you don't need to tell me you're a good man. I know you're a good man. You're better than good!" she said, emotion gripping her as well.

"I don't know one other man, not one other man who would drive across state for someone he never met once! I don't know any other man who would risk his life, walking into God knows what to-to get someone that most people would call a throwaway! You feel me? If you hadn't gone in there tonight, Dylan's legs would not have been able to stop him from getting into that bathroom. He would have made it into that bathroom and I promise you she would be dead! Right now! And she would be nothing but another statistic! A body found raped and murdered in a hotel room on the south side of Chicago, that's it! That's all we are to the rest of the world!"

"Not to me," he said solemnly. "You mean so much more to me," he hoped she could read the meaning behind his words. The tears spilling onto her cheeks told him everything he needed to know. She wrapped her arms around his neck squeezing her body tightly to his as cars zoomed past on the four lane highway behind them.

"And that's why I lov-"

She stopped herself mid sentence as if she realized what she was about to say. He held her tightly and buried his face in her neck.

"Aaaaah!" she said pulling back from him. "You're nose is freezing!" she chuckled, sniffling at the same time. Her smile, her shining eyes, her hair pulled back in a hasty bun, her nose red from the cold temperatures; it was too much. He kissed her, on the side of the road in God knows where. As soon as his lips touched hers he felt electricity shoot through him. Her body fell into his as she eagerly returned his kiss, cold temperatures and speeding cars forgotten. He kissed her with a desperation he didn't know he felt until now and suddenly prayed he'd never kiss another woman again. He wished her hair wasn't in that bun so he could run his fingers through the curly mass. When she sucked his tongue into her mouth he couldn't contain the moan of pleasure that left him. He wanted her closer and yet he was holding her so tightly he wondered how she could even breathe. He would have kissed her all night if it weren't for the huge 18 wheeler speeding by, leaving the fading honk of its horn in its wake.

"My God," Reign whispered touching her fingertips to her kiss swollen lips. She looked up at him her wide amber eyes so expressive.

"What was that?" she asked.

Smiling for the first time since he left her apartment he rose from the unforgiving concrete and helped her to stand.

"What was that? Well darlin', you just kissed your way to a new boyfriend."