The Awakening of Love Ch. 07 and 08

:: Chapter Seven: The Race ::

Ashira groaned as things came into focus. "What the hell?" she thought, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her head. She reached up to rub her face and gasped when she saw her arm was handcuffed to the bed she was laying on and remembered her rapist kidnapping her from the salon. "Good, you're awake."

"Where am I?" Ashira wanted to know.

"Where you can never get away," he replied, standing up. He walked over to a sink and poured a glass of water, walked over to Ashira and handed the glass to her. "Drink," he instructed.

"Let me go," Ashira said. He laughed.

"Not until you have my baby," he replied.

"It isn't yours!" Ashira exclaimed.

"No? It sure as hell is that pansy ex boyfriend of yours."

Ashira's eyes were flashing with anger. "What makes you think it's yours?" she wanted to know.

"Because I'm a man and your ex is a boy," he replied. "Drink," he said. Ashira twisted her wrist. "How can I drink when I'm tied up?" she asked. He untied one of her wrists and held the glass out for her again. Ashira took the glass and was relieved when she didn't taste anything but clean water. "Do you have any food?" Ashira asked.

He shook his head. "Why would I have food?" he asked. "You won't need it where you're going," he added.

"Are you going to kill me before or after I have the baby?" Ashira asked.

"I wasn't going to ..." he stopped, catching himself before he revealed something he shouldn't. "After," he told her. "I want the baby."

"If I don't eat, the baby will die," Ashira told him matter of factly. "Everything I eat and drink goes to the baby. Everything I breathe goes to the baby," she said. He looked at her as if he didn't believe her, then stood up, walked over to a laptop computer and did a quick search before coming back to the bed.

"What do you want to eat?" he asked. Ashira thought quickly.

"I've only been in the mood for one thing lately, but I don't know how close it is to here," Ashira began.

"I have a microwave, I can heat food up," he said.

"Well, the only place that makes it really worth getting it from is near my house. It's this place called Comida Casa ... they make the best Four Cheese Enchiladas ... make sure they're mild though," Ashira told him. He nodded and walked out of the house, got in the car and drove away. Ashira tried to untie her still restrained hand but it was no use. She fumbled in her pocket for her cell phone. "Victory!" she thought. She flipped open the cover. "Damn it, no signal," she thought. Ashira slid the phone back in her pocket. "I hope Jake goes for Mexican one of these nights or I'm going to get really sick of enchiladas," she thought.

:: Chapter Eight: The rescue::

"Do you want more enchiladas?" he asked Ashira. Ashira shook her head.

"I'm actually in the mood for Chinese," she said.

"Sweet and Sour Chicken," he said, nodding his head. Ashira mentally shuttered that he knew her that well. He started to walk to the door.

"Before you go, could you untie me? I need to get up and walk around," Ashira asked. He hesitated, then untied her other wrist and her feet.

"You can't go anywhere," he reminded her.

"I know, I just need to walk," Ashira said. Ashira waited until he drove away before she walked as fast as she could to where she had been hiding her cell phone. Ashira pulled the phone out of its hiding space and turned it on then walked around the room until she found a spot that would allow her to make a call.

"Hello?"

"Jake!" Ashira exclaimed.

"Shira! Where are you?" Jake wanted to know.

"I don't know, but I just sent my kidnapper out for food. He's gonna go to China Town Buffet and get me sweet and sour chicken ... he's about six five with blond hair ... he has a scar that reaches from his nose to his mouth, you can't miss him," Ashira said. "Please go wait for Chinese," she added, hanging up, turning the phone off and sliding it back into its hiding place. Ashira paced up and down the living room waiting for someone to walk through the front door, hoping that Jake and the police would be right behind him.

"Here's your sweet and sour chicken," he announced from the front door. Ashira sat down at the makeshift table and he sat the chicken in front of her. Not even thirty seconds later, the police stormed into the house. "How did you find me?" he wanted to know as the police handcuffed him. Ashira walked over and pulled her cell phone from its hiding spot. "You bitch!" he exclaimed. Jake walked in after the paramedics.

"Jake!" Ashira exclaimed. Jake wrapped his arms around her. "You didn't think I'd stay home did you?" Jake murmured. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"He didn't hurt me," Ashira replied. "He actually took pretty good care of me ... how long have I been here?" she wanted to know.

"Almost two months," Jake answered. Ashira groaned. "You okay?" he asked. Ashira nodded.

"I've had enchiladas almost every day for two months. If I see another enchilada, I'll scream," she told him. Jake laughed.

"Sir, we need to take her to the hospital," the paramedic said. Reluctantly, Jake pulled away from Ashira and allowed the paramedics to help Ashira into the back of the ambulance.

-3 hours later-

"May we come in?" Jake asked from the doorway. Ashira nodded, and even though she was obviously exhausted, she looked relieved to see them.

"What about me?" Mark asked from the door way. Ashira hesitated when she saw the anger on Jake's face at Mark announcing his presence. "Even you Mark," Ashira said. She met Jake's gaze. "It's okay," she mouthed. Jake, Crystal, Sunshine and Mark hovered around Ashira's bed. "I'm fine," she said before anyone could ask. Sunshine laughed, easing some of the tension between Mark and Jake. "He didn't hurt me," Ashira said for Jake's benefit, hoping to calm him down before he blew like a land mine. Ashira turned to Mark. "What are you doing here?" she asked bluntly.

"I was worried. I still care about you," Mark replied.

"You care about her? You left her after she was raped! You call that caring about someone?" Jake asked.

"Jake," Ashira murmured softly.

"I may not be in love with you anymore, but that had nothing to do with the rape. And you know I would never want to see you hurt," Mark said. Ashira said nothing, she merely nodded. "I'm not even ready to be a father. I'll help you out financially, but I don't ..." Ashira held up her hand. "Lets not talk about this until after the baby, okay?" she suggested. Mark nodded, walked over to Ashira and gave her a hug. "I am glad you're okay," he murmured, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "I know," Ashira told him. Mark squeezed her hand before walking out the door and into the night.