It's Always Been You

"I'm not paying for shit," the G.C. spat, "Besides, you don't have the balls."

Gary looked at Jonas and said, "Get everyone together and get all the tools and materials locked up, and then get everybody who works for me the hell outta of here."

"You got it, Gary," Jonas laughed, then looked at the G.C. and laughed even harder as he walked out the back door of the Contractor's trailer.

"I'll sue your fucking ass for this," the G.C. angrily said, as we were leaving his trailer.

"You ain't suing shit," Gary chuckled, on our way out, "You fucking idiot."

~~~~~~

"I don't know, Gary," I warned him, walking back to our trucks, "That asshole is crazy enough to report us to the state, maybe on a codes violation, or some other crazy shit."

"Relax, man," he laughed, "I play Golf with the owner of that asshole's company three times a week, and the son-of-a-bitch owes me three thousand dollars in skins. Don't worry; I'll take care of it."

~~~~~~

Gary had suggested that we stop and have some coffee, as it was still mid morning. We went to the Waffle House out on the highway and relaxed, mostly shot the shit, but relaxed for a while none-the-less.

"So, tell me," Gary mischievously asked, "Is it true what I've heard around the office?"

"Is what true?"

"You know," he kidded, "I heard that you and a smoking hot brunette had a picnic in your office, yesterday, is it true?"

"Not really," I smiled, "We ended up taking the picnic to her house."

"I can tell by the look on your face that she's more than just a friend," he grinned, "Come on, Mark, tell me."

"Oh, alright," I laughed, "Her name is Abigail Collins and I'm in love with her."

"Holy shit," Gary chuckled, "When did this happen?"

"Well, to be truthful," I replied, "It began a long time ago."

"Let me guess," he chuckled, "She's someone from your past and you two have found one another again."

"Yep," I began laughing, "That pretty much hits the nail on the head."

"You're serious about this girl, then," he asked, I nodded my head, "So, when do Linda and I get to meet her?"

"I don't know," I chuckled, "What's good for you?"

"How about tonight?" Gary grinned, "We'll go to Gallagher's, and I'm paying."

"Shit, you're paying?" I laughed, "Hell yeah, what time?"

~~~~~~

"Oh, baby, yes," Abbey smiled, when I phoned her that afternoon and told her of Gary's invitation, "That would be nice, I'd love to go."

"Okay," I smiled, "I'll pick you up a five thirty."

"I'll be ready baby," she delightfully giggled, "I love you."

"I love you, too," I replied smiling, right before we hung up.

~~~~~~

I wore my dark blue Armani suit with a white linen shirt, and a light blue silk tie, and my black Stacy Adams shoes shined to a high gloss. Abbey wore a stunning haze gray spaghetti strap, evening dress that not only looked ravishing on her, but when we pulled into Gallagher's; she made me feel so very proud that she was my woman and that I was her man. Ya see, the great thing with Abbey, is that she gets more beautiful every time I look at her.

~~~~~~

"Well hello there you two," Linda Hennings beamed, as we met she and Gary at their table, "We're so glad you could come."

"Gary, Linda," I proudly smiled, "Allow me to introduce Miss Abigail Collins. Abbey, these are two of my oldest and dearest friends in the world, Gary and Linda Hennings."

"It's very nice to meet you both," Abbey cordially replied.

"My God, Mark," Gary gasped, "She's beautiful, what the hell is she doing with you?"

"Hush your mouth, Gary," Linda playfully scolded, "Mark has great taste in women....just like you."

"Women?" Abbey glared, her right eye-brow raised with her arms crossed.

"No, Abbey, wait," I said.

"Oh no, dear," Linda came to my defense, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know," Abbey playfully giggled, "But I had ya'll going, didn't I?"

"Uh oh, she's a shit starter," Gary laughed, "You two are gonna be prefect for each other, Mark."

"I think she's adorable," Linda grinned, taking Abbey's hand, "Where did you two meet, Abbey?"

"We met a long time ago when I was six years old," Abbey sweetly smiled, "I fell in love with Mark the moment I laid eyes on him."

"Oh, that' so sweet," Linda gushed, looking at Gary, "Isn't that romantic, honey?"

~~~~~~

We spent the night at Abbey's house that night, and I can't even begin to explain the wonderful feeling of lying next to her all night long; holding that which I loved the most in my arms.

~~~~~~

"Good morning, my beautiful man," Abbey whispered into my ear the next morning, a cup of coffee in her hand, "Wake up, baby."

"Hi," I sleepily smiled, as Abbey climbed back into bed with me and handed me the coffee, "What a wonderful way to wake up."

"I never thought that this would ever happen, Mark," she sweetly cooed, "And I'm so happy that I'm about to burst, I thought you should know that."

"I love you, Abbey," I smiled, softly kissing her lips, "I love you with all my heart."

Because it was still early, Abby and I made slow and gentle love that morning, relishing in the new found love that we now shared.

~~~~~~

Chapter Seven

I was at work the next afternoon when I got a call from Taylor at her job.

"What's up little sister?" I smiled into the phone.

"Hi, Mark," she happily chirped, "I wanted to call and tell you that Abbey and I are going out to dinner tonight, kind of a girls night out sort of thing."

"Okay," I chuckled, "You two have a good time, but be careful. Kerrie's still out there somewhere, and you know what she said."

"Mark," Taylor giggled, "Abbey's gonna be with me, and you know that she's been looking for an excuse to kick that bitch's ass."

"Maybe so," I smiled, "But be careful just the same."

"Okay," she smiled, "Bye."

~~~~~~

Because I'd had to work late that day, it was dark, around seven-thirty, when I got home that evening. I heated some left-over spaghetti in the microwave that Taylor had apparently made the previous evening; and I had just sat down to eat with a cold beer when the phone rang.

"Hello," I said, into the receiver.

"Hi, Mark, baby," Kerrie voice oozed, like an evil sludge.

"Leave me alone," I hatefully replied, "This is your last warning."

"And this is your last warning," she growled, "Give me the fucking coins or pay the price."

"Go to hell, you fucking whore," I angrily spat, and then abruptly hung the phone up.

~~~~~~

"So, tell me, Abbs" Taylor giggled, "How're things going between you and Mark?"

"Oh, girl," Abbey swooned, "He's so sweet to me, but then again, he was always sweet to me, even when we were little."

"I wanted to thank you, Abbey," Taylor smiled, her bottom lip beginning to quiver as tears began to fill her eyes, "You've brought my brother back from the edge, and for that, I will always love you," as she softly wept.

"Aw, sweetie, don't cry," Abbey soothed, "I love him very much and I know he loves me, I can feel it."

"I know you can feel it," Taylor suddenly giggled, "You've been walking bow-legged ever since you two spent that first afternoon together."

"You're awful, Taylor," Abbey frowned, then began giggling, "But you're so right."

~~~~~~

I was sitting on my couch watching a great football game when the electricity suddenly went out, leaving the house dark. I rose from the couch and made my way into the kitchen to retrieve the flashlight I kept in there.

"God damn, Power Company," I complained, grabbing the flashlight and turning it on.

Then I walked over to the phone and picked it up. I placed the receiver to my ear, only to find it dead as well.

"Shit," I spat, "What the fuck is going on here?"

Suddenly something hit the back of my head, knocking me into a daze of sorts; and right before I went down for the count, I could've sworn that I heard my ex-wife's voice emitting an evil cackle of laughter.

~~~~~~

"Thanks for going out with me tonight, Abbs," Taylor smiled, as they sat at a restaurant table, "We haven't done this in ages."

"I know, Tay-Tay," Abbey giggled, "But now that I'm dating Mark, maybe we'll see each other more often."

"Dating?" Taylor grinned, "Oh, honey, you two aren't just dating, oh no. My brother loves you with all his heart, and I'll bet you ten dollars that he asks you to marry him."

"Do you really think he will?" Abbey wistfully asked.

"I know that big lug like the back of my hand," Taylor giggled, "And I know that he will, just you wait and see."

~~~~~~

I felt like I had fallen into a black pit and there were voices all around me. I heard Kerrie's voice, sounding like an evil hideous demon, ascended from the pits of Hell in search of a way to steal my soul. But in the darkness I saw a faint light in the distance...Abbey...it was her. I called out to her, but not with my voice as it was being drowned out by the monstrous sounds of evil all around me. I called out to her with every bit of strength my heart could muster.

~~~~~~

"I hope so," Abbey giggled, "I love him so much."

"Speaking of the devil," Taylor laughed, "Why don't you call him and ask him if he wants us to bring him something to eat."

"I will," Abbey giggled, as she got up to use the phone, "God, I feel like I'm sixteen again."

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes, the lights were on and I was sitting in one of my kitchen chairs, my arms and leg bound, and my face covered in my own blood. Suddenly I saw movement and when I looked up; I saw Kerrie sitting in front of me with one of the two guys that Abbey had beaten up at her side.

"Hello, Mark," she spat, "I tried to warn you, you stupid asshole, but you wouldn't listen. So, I think maybe now would be a good time for you to tell me where the coins are, wouldn't you agree."

"Fuck you; bitch," I laughed, spitting blood into her face, and then the next thing I knew, I was falling back into the darkness....falling.....falling...."Abbey," my heart called, "Abbey, I love you.".....

~~~~~~

"I can't get through on the phone," Abbey said, when she came back to the table, "I tried to get the operator to connect it and said the line was dead."

"That can't be," Taylor replied, "I just took his check to the phone company for...."

"Oh Taylor," Abbey suddenly gasped, holding her chest, "Oh no, Mark."

"Abbey, are you alright?" Taylor asked, concerned, "Abbey, sweetie what's wrong?"

Abbey looked her in the eyes and said, "Mark's in trouble, I can feel him. I want you to blindly trust me, Sis."

"Oh, God," Taylor replied, beginning to get up, "I've got to...."

"No," Abbey said, swiftly but gently grabbing her arm, "Get in your car now, and go to Travis, house. You'll be safe there."

"What're you gonna do?" Taylor asked, in a panic stricken voice.

"If I don't tell you," Abbey suddenly warned, "Then you can honestly say that you didn't know, if things go awry. But they won't, I promise. Now I want you to go to Travis's house and call the police. Okay?"

~~~~~~

When I opened my eyes again Kerrie was there again too. "If you don' tell me where the coins are," she seethed, her shirt stained with my blood that I'd spit on her earlier, "My friend Kyle, here, is going to go to Taylor's house and have a little fun with her. What do you think about that, motherfucker?"

"I think you're a fucking greedy whore," I laughed, "And when I get up from here. I'm gonna fucking kill...."

Suddenly I was silenced when Kyle shoved the muzzle of a pistol under my chin, and growled, "Tell her what she wants to know, or I'm gonna blow your fucking head off, asshole."

"Then you'll never get the coins," I laughed again, "I'm the only one who knows where they are, you stupid fuck."

Suddenly I felt a blinding sting as he used the pistol to hit me across the face. "You're not such a smart ass now, are you?" he laughed.

"Go fuck yourself," I spat, then nodding to Kerrie, "I know for a fact that she can't fuck worth a shit, she never could."

He hit me with his fist this time, knocking me into a daze, and then raising the hand that held the pistol, Kyle angrily growled, "Why, you little son of a...."

Suddenly the lights went out again and before anyone could respond, I saw a bright flash, with Kyle screaming at the top of his lungs.

When the lights came back on again, I saw, or maybe I dreamed that I saw Kyle lying on the floor, whimpering while holding his bloody right hand. Upon closer examination, I saw that he had one of those oriental throwing stars, a Shiriken, deeply lodged into the back of his right hand.

In a quick moment of fear, I watched as Kerrie picked up the gun and aimed it at me. However, before she could cock the pistol, a lone shrouded figure, clothed in black from head to toe, appeared from behind her.

With a speed faster than anything I'd ever seen, the black figure produced a long knife, called a Tanto, which I didn't see until its razor sharp tip was pressed tightly against Kerrie's throat. And then with an evil his, I heard the figure tell her, "Drop the gun, or I'll kill you where you stand." Kerrie dropped the gun, and then the hooded figure smashed her on the back of her head with the butt of the knife, making her drop like a rock.

"Please don't kill me," Kyle begged, as the figure approached him, and then again, at the speed of light, I saw the figure kick him in the face, once, knocking him unconscious."

Then the figure approached me and said, "Are you alright?"

"Who in the fuck are you?" I growled.

"Somebody who loves you," the figure replied, and I couldn't begin to explain the feeling of shock that overcame me when the figure pulled the cloak off and I saw Abbey's beautiful face, smiling with tears in her eyes.

"Abbey," I smiled, barely conscious "What're you doing here?"

"Saving your ass," she giggled, softly kissing my lips, "Again."

~~~~~~

The police arrived not too far behind her, and as Abbey was cutting me loose from the chair I'd been bound to, she giggled and said, "I guess I'm gonna have to teach you how to fight, baby. I'm getting too old for this shit."

~~~~~~

Kerrie and Kyle were brought up on aggravated kidnapping charges, and both received sentences of ten years each.

Taylor and Travis finally got married and have been as happy as can be ever since. I hear that they're getting ready to start a family.

I gave the coins back to the Jamaican government, who were very grateful and refused to press charges against me, due to the rarity of my find.

Abbey and I were married a year later, and yes, she began to train me in Togakure Ninjutsu the minute we came home from our honey moon.

I asked her once if there was anything she loved more than her martial arts, and she giggled and said, "You baby, it's Always Been You."

THE END