[mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]GreyLord[/mention] [mention]Mr Underheel[/mention]
Chapter 23: Vengeful
"How do I look? Am I as much of a mean motherf-cker as Natalie?" Emily asked her friends.
"I think so," Natalie smiled in a newfound appreciation of this girl.
"See how much she loves you?" Jessica asked her sister.
"I see," the gentle giant nodded in understanding and grateful that she hadn't pulled the trigger.
Natalie returned to her trusty black leggings, red t-shirt, and green bandana in a Christmas theme. This was a new start for her as she, in a message only Emily understood, accepted Emily as the new leader of the team and humbled herself. Jessica and Emily had to stop themselves when they saw how badly injured Natalie really was.
These subliminal messages meant a lot to the two cousins although to the rest Emily was making a terrible fashion statement of some sort. Before the pain forced her to sit down again, Natalie hugged Emily tightly and thanked for the helpful words before. Emily smiled and stepped out of the van with a multitude of emotions running through her, so she ordered the men to just move along so they cold rush the building.
"Don't go," Jessica grabbed her father's arm.
"Let him," Natalie pulled her off.
"What if he dies?" the daughter openly worried.
"I'll be fine," Manny Napolitano encouraged his younger daughter.
As the attack crew walked toward the restaurant, Natalie still armed herself and strolled outside the van to protect herself, Felicia, and her sister. This was very difficult to accept, but she trusted Emily despite her personal qualms. But Jessica was very bitter.
"You don't even love him!" Jessica accused Natalie of being heartless.
"Who?" Natalie asked for context.
"Dad! You let him go off and possibly die?!"
"Jessica, you really think I will just drop everything and do something for someone who has done nothing for me except f-ck my mother to create me?! Then you're ridiculously stupid. You're fine with your cousin but not your father out there?!" Natalie was disgusted and hurt by this.
Jessica didn't know what to say. Natalie had a very, very good point that she had no obligations to someone who she only genuinely met a week ago. That statement made Natalie seem more understandable in her eyes. Natalie had to struggle with maternal lies, newly discovered paternal abandonment, and all the dangers they had been facing during the last week.
"I'm sorry, Natalie," Jessica apologized.
"I'm sorry, too. I'm just a f-cking toy that acts like a douchebag 24/7," Natalie responded bitterly and despondently.
"Natalie Woodward, you are not a f-cking toy even if mobsters treat you like one," Felicia interjected authoritatively.
"What do you want?" Natalie snapped.
"My brother is in there. I spent 6 months being nearly non-stop g-ngb-nged, but I still know I am not a f-cking toy even if those a--holes used me as one all that time. We're still people," Felicia explained while fighting the urge to cry, "Even if the memories torture us forever."
That was a horrible thought indeed. Natalie and Felicia stared at each other, and Natalie's eyes both gave and received intense psychological pain from Felicia's. They nodded and bumped fists before Felicia went back into the van in case an emergency driver was needed.
"Down! Everyone keep their hands visible!" Emily yelled as she stormed into the kitchen.
"No dumb moves, and you just might live another 10 more years!" Nick added.
"That's it! You three, lie down on the floor!" Emily ordered a group of three workers.
"MOVE!" Manny reiterated her commanded.
Emily took zipties and bound the men's wrists and ankles and hogzipped them. Strips of duct tape provided adequate gags. Before standing up, Emily gave each of the men a spank on the rear because Jessica wasn't here to do so herself. But business came before pleasure.
"You two lie down on counter!" Frank ordered two others.
"You handle these other three!" Emily ordered her uncle, "Nick, cover me a second."
"Smart approach," Nick stayed behind her to guard both her and the kitchen.
All the other workers were also hogzipped. although Natalie's father had police style cuffs on his personage. Likewise, all got a mixture of tape and cleave gags. Soon, all the employees were completely incapacitated. It was but one step though.
Emily opened the office door and saw a frightful sight: a man who looked very similar to her Uncle Emanuel. This man was grey-haired and slightly older. He was also balding a good bit, and his grey suit matched his grey beard. This was far from Emily's expectations, and she felt a shiver go down her spine.
"Are you... A Napolitano?" Emily asked.
"I am Agent Romano... Romano N," the familiar voice spoke without emotion.
"The voice on the phone," she said fearfully and losing the confidence she'd had, but she shook it off.
"My backstory doesn't matter, but I am here. Glad to meet my nieces, though."
"Cut the small talk!" she snapped at him.
"When you enter Newark, call me. Say 'Hi' to my big brother for me," he waved his hand.
"That's it?" Emily was dumbfounded.
"GO! You haven't time to waste! Rossi is trying to assemble a new army," he ordered her.
Emily nodded and turned to leave, and she shut the door behind her as she left. Turning to return to her colleagues, Emily realized that time indeed was precious and few. They had to finish their job here and work on blasting the other restaurant.
"Get these people out, stat! Any allies?" she asked Frank.
"None that we see. All are against us," he answered with a grimace.
"Uncle, your brother gives you his greetings," Emily passed the message along.
Manny smiled in some strange sense of relief and acknowledgement. His smile revealed that he knew everything about this "Agent Romano" situation and maybe even the story behind it. That knowledge passed the relief along to Emily, who was full of uncertainty even as she pathetically tried to pull a goon out to the parking lot.
When all were out, Emily dialed the local police tip line that Agent Romano texted to her while she was inside the restaurant. At the same time, Nick and Manny were tossing Molotovs and grenades like candy, especially the ones they tossed into the attic. With that done, another OG had bitten the dust, and the team was on its way to the final one of the city.
Natalie was immensely proud of Emily's newfound self and cautioned her to be careful lest she meet danger. Emily knew Natalie meant well and took the advice to heart. She continued formulating her plans for the second OG raid while Natalie and Jessica planned for the showdown with Rossi. Nick consulted both teams and gave his advice from his years of experience, and father advised his daughters.
In spite of the risks, Emily and Nick would go down into the sewer while Natalie and Frank kept guard. Manny and Jessica would play long distance lookout. With that plus some ingenuity, the sewer cap was opened, and Emily and Nick, armed with flashlights and the bombs, climbed down the ladder.
"Emily," Natalie admitted as her cousin descended, "I actually am afraid of the dark."
"Me too," Emily grimaced and descended into the darkness.
Emily felt a shiver go down her spine as she stepped onto the bottom of the pathway in the sewer. It was a simple and short distance according to what she had seen on the diagrams, but it still was terrifying to be in here. She led Nick in the simple path to the place where they would plant the bombs...
On the surface, Natalie and Frank were patrolling with the Christmas girl nursing her mutilated body with great care while her father sat on top of the van at the exit to the roof hatch. On the other side of a brick wall lay the second and final Rossi controlled restaurant in Philadelphia, and with its destruction lay another financial hit to the mafia front business empire. As they waited to see what would happen, Jessica studied the maps and diagrams that Emily had sourced for this attack.
It should have been so easy; it really should have been. Emily's intent was in the right place knowing that this was one of the toughest mafia strongholds possibly in the country. But someone somewhere suspected something as two mafia Cadillacs came storming down the covert alleyway.
Natalie at the moment had her back to the entrance to the alley and thus was clueless about the vehicles approaching, one which was aiming right for her. It wasn't until Frank grabbed her and dove that she knew that one of the cars had actually been trying to run her over. As they hit the ground with Frank protecting Natalie from the pavement with his own body, Natalie jumped up to defend her sister and Felicia. There were at least double the mobsters as them, but then the worst thing happened.
"Natalie, a bunch of them just went down the manhole!" her father yelled.
"I'm going in! Felicia, radio Emily and warn them!"
With no concern for her own safety, Natalie ran into the open and fired a round at the remaining mobsters and killed at least one of them while nearly getting hit again in her own right. While Natalie knew Emily was right that another hit would be fatal, she had to defend her cousin and Nick at all costs. Another mobster tried to fire down the hole, but Natalie's father riddled him with more holes than Swiss cheese. Unfortunately, the dead man fell into the hole on top of the descending Natalie...
Never in her life had Emily or Nick been so frightened. Even when she was kidnapped Emily wasn't this scared because those circumstances were out of her control. This was different because they were wiring powerful bombs to destroy a mafia establishment, and worse they were, on the fly, reworking the bombs to go off at a given signal. They were carefully checked and double checked, and Emily checked at every step to make sure she was following Nick's instructions.
Timers were too dangerous, they decided, and the extra 10 minutes to set them up to detonate when Emily sent a text to Nick's "burner phone" would be worth it. They had no idea of the danger they were in until they heard someone yell, "Kill them at all costs!" Emily turned off the flashlight, and Nick was now faced with wiring this last bomb by only the light of the drain above them.
Nick was sweating bullets while Emily kept her machine gun at the ready. It was do or die this time, and Nick quickly finished the last connection as a bullet lit up the darkness. Unfortunately, in their rush, Emily slipped and was lost by Nick. She tried to scramble up in order to follow, but it was too late.
At the surface, there was a war zone as Manny, Frank, and Jessica took on the remaining mobsters. Thankfully, due to the location Emily had chosen, it was easy to put up a strong defense, and soon there were mafiosos down on the ground everywhere. Superior weapons in the hands of the fearless Frank Catanzaro provided an almost video game level advantage to Team Emily, and over half the casualties were inflicted by him alone.
What was going to happen to those heroes down in the sewer though?
The Kidnapping of Natalie Woodward (M+F+/M+F+) - Conclusion (Apr. 22, 2023)
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
[mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]GreyLord[/mention] [mention]Mr Underheel[/mention]
Chapter 24: Combative
Natalie let out a groan as she was sure she had another injury to add to her collection even if just bruises. She stood up and kicked the dead mobster's body into the water with a loud splash. That did just what she wanted as she needed to distract these gangsters into coming after her. As she did that, she watched her father climb down after her.
"They need you up there!" Natalie said.
"You, Emily, and Nicholas need me more!" he retorted, and she saw the guilt in his eyes.
"Let's get these f-ckers!" nodded the daughter to her father, "You stay here and listen for noises before moving; I'll search for Nick and Ems."
It was dark and frightening with nothing but a faint glow from the many sewer drains to tell Natalie where she was. Her phone's flashlight was risky to use, but it was all she really had. She flashed it up to make sure she was alone before proceeding. Gunshots told her which direction to head as she proceeded down pathways that looked nothing like the TV depictions.
At the same time, Nick was lost and trying to find his way back to Emily, but Emily wasn't there. Where was she? He had to find her! Her safety was his responsibility, and success rested on him making sure no one got killed. The light of a grate told him he was definitely seeing a friend and not an enemy. He had heard the voices of Natalie and Manny and knew to be careful lest he shoot a friend.
"NATALIE!" came a shriek in the darkness that could only be Emily's voice.
"NICK!" Natalie shouted out loudly to alert her teammate to her presence.
In the darkness of the sewer, a gun fight had broken out. Natalie, in her Christmas colors, became an easy sight to spot as Nick's eyes fully adjusted to life without a flashlight to show the way. The network of pipes that led to the Delaware River was now the battleground for yet another skirmish with the mafia.
"MMMM!" Emily groaned helplessly against her latest attacker.
"Nice knowing you," the mafiosa said as she cinched the knot.
"GUH!" Emily coughed as she entered a race against time.
The mobster was quick and bound Emily's wrists and ankles, gagged her, and exposed her completely before Emily had screamed for help. Now, a big yellow ball gag was in her mouth, and she was in a strangle hogtie on the dank and dirty sewer surface. The rope around her neck slowly squeezed the life out of her, and something was jammed in her crotch that the woman was quite frightfully pulling in and out of her.
Nick had his distinctive spiked hair, and Natalie by sheer luck ran into him and explained how she had gotten to this point so that they could find their way back. She also mentioned that Manny was guarding the entrance so that he wouldn't be attacked. At every intersection, Natalie and Nick walked back-to-back so that they could not be surprised on one side or the other. In this fashion, they walked through the maze.
BANG! Nick fired as soon as he saw the head poke around the corner, and the body fell down. At the same time, Natalie saw another mobster and took that one down. Her count said at least 4 were down here, and another round of gunfire followed by a sarcastic "Sorry, sh-thead!" from Manny told them that only one remained.
"Go back to the entrance. NOW!" Natalie ordered Nick, "I'll risk using the light to find Emily!"
"All right," Nick said.
"If it becomes too dangerous, don't be afraid to bury me alive by letting off those charges."
"Natalie...," the memories came back.
Natalie quickly took off into the darkness while Nick returned to the exit. The sound of gunfire from the direction he was leaving suggested that Natalie had found the last one. In spite of the pain, Natalie ran after the person and lost the mobster when she, too, like Emily, tripped in the wetness of the sewer. She scrambled up and continued her pursuit.
Meanwhile, Emily was desperately struggling for her life. With time, her breathing was becoming increasingly labored, and resisting was increasingly difficult. She knew she was near the end and quietly hoped, even prayed, that Natalie would find her. Worse was the pain of the device that was making her internally sore. As the remaining mobster stood and kicked her in the ribs, Emily summoned her strength and let out "UGHHHHHHH!" into the ball gag. This was her last stand, and she felt herself becoming weak.
"EMILY!" Natalie ran after the noise and ignored all the pain. Yes, she would die for Emily if need be, although she was unaware that she was racing against time. As she peered around the corner and saw the mobster, Natalie let out a round into the woman, who fell down. Seeing Emily, Natalie quickly grabbed her knife and cut the rope around Emily's throat.
"Ah...," Emily softly groaned as oxygen filled her lungs again.
Natalie fired a full round again into the mobster to be sure she was dead and that Emily was avenged. Natalie cut the remaining ropes and helped Emily to stand up and removed the gag. Emily leaned against the sewer wall and just looked at Natalie while panting and holding herself. She never even looked as she removed the object that had violated her and threw it into the water.
"Natalie," she gasped.
"I promised I'd save you if you were in danger," Natalie smiled and nodded.
"You're as much the woman I imagined."
Emily stood on her tiptoes, put her arms on Natalie's shoulders, and stole the kiss on the cheek she had always desired of Natalie before she motioned for Natalie to follow as she slowly walked away from the scene. Her underwear and bra were gone, but she still pulled her jeans up. She didn't notice really anything else before she let out a sad observation.
"Natalie, even women will violate you if they're demented enough," she spoke softly and looked at Natalie.
"I," Natalie blushed as she realized Emily was experiencing the same hero worship for her that Natalie had felt for Nick, "understand."
"Thanks. Sorry about that... cousin."
"It was in the heat of the moment," Natalie answered as they rounded the corner and approached the ladder.
"Nice tits!" Nick smiled with relief to see both girls alive.
"Oh, sh-t!" Emily blushed and pulled down her shirt and looked at the smiling Natalie.
"Let's get out of here!" Natalie said.
As soon as they were at the surface, Nick entered his code while Franz and Manny closed the manhole. With a "KABOOM!" the restaurant and all its grounds sank below the surface and with it any remaining employees inside. A distant chime from a church announced that it was the bottom of the 9AM hour as the team climbed back into the van.
"Natalie, may I... sit with you?" Emily was clearly asking for a little more than just taking a seat.
"Emily, sweetie, what happened?!" Jessica asked with deep concern when she saw the strangulation marks.
"Nats saved my life; that's what," was Emily's response.
"Let's sit down under a blanket, hmm?" Natalie kindly permitted her roommate to do this.
Natalie sat down, and she slid down until Emily quietly told her to stop. Felicia put a blanket over the two, and a very stressed, scared, and hurt Emily quickly fell asleep against the big girl. The larger one just looked at Jessica, motioned for her to hush, and smiled. Everyone was proud of how Emily took control to lead a mission and even displayed courageous leadership while dying.
"I'm proud of you," Manny said to his daughter, "You threw your life away to save her."
"No, she made the first sacrifice by going down there; I just did what was necessary to save the team leader."
"You both did well," Nick reinforced Natalie's view, "But your father is justified in his pride."
Inside, Natalie shrugged because she just did what she had to do in order to keep her loved ones safe, and Emily had done the same in a much, much bigger and more meaningful way. Natalie was a natural fighter, but Emily had taken on the courage of a fighter when she wasn't one. Only they knew the real nature of their cuddling like this, and after the morning's events Natalie was more than willing to let Emily have the taboo moment of her dreams.
It was the least Natalie could do for the hero of the hour.
Chapter 24: Combative
Natalie let out a groan as she was sure she had another injury to add to her collection even if just bruises. She stood up and kicked the dead mobster's body into the water with a loud splash. That did just what she wanted as she needed to distract these gangsters into coming after her. As she did that, she watched her father climb down after her.
"They need you up there!" Natalie said.
"You, Emily, and Nicholas need me more!" he retorted, and she saw the guilt in his eyes.
"Let's get these f-ckers!" nodded the daughter to her father, "You stay here and listen for noises before moving; I'll search for Nick and Ems."
It was dark and frightening with nothing but a faint glow from the many sewer drains to tell Natalie where she was. Her phone's flashlight was risky to use, but it was all she really had. She flashed it up to make sure she was alone before proceeding. Gunshots told her which direction to head as she proceeded down pathways that looked nothing like the TV depictions.
At the same time, Nick was lost and trying to find his way back to Emily, but Emily wasn't there. Where was she? He had to find her! Her safety was his responsibility, and success rested on him making sure no one got killed. The light of a grate told him he was definitely seeing a friend and not an enemy. He had heard the voices of Natalie and Manny and knew to be careful lest he shoot a friend.
"NATALIE!" came a shriek in the darkness that could only be Emily's voice.
"NICK!" Natalie shouted out loudly to alert her teammate to her presence.
In the darkness of the sewer, a gun fight had broken out. Natalie, in her Christmas colors, became an easy sight to spot as Nick's eyes fully adjusted to life without a flashlight to show the way. The network of pipes that led to the Delaware River was now the battleground for yet another skirmish with the mafia.
"MMMM!" Emily groaned helplessly against her latest attacker.
"Nice knowing you," the mafiosa said as she cinched the knot.
"GUH!" Emily coughed as she entered a race against time.
The mobster was quick and bound Emily's wrists and ankles, gagged her, and exposed her completely before Emily had screamed for help. Now, a big yellow ball gag was in her mouth, and she was in a strangle hogtie on the dank and dirty sewer surface. The rope around her neck slowly squeezed the life out of her, and something was jammed in her crotch that the woman was quite frightfully pulling in and out of her.
Nick had his distinctive spiked hair, and Natalie by sheer luck ran into him and explained how she had gotten to this point so that they could find their way back. She also mentioned that Manny was guarding the entrance so that he wouldn't be attacked. At every intersection, Natalie and Nick walked back-to-back so that they could not be surprised on one side or the other. In this fashion, they walked through the maze.
BANG! Nick fired as soon as he saw the head poke around the corner, and the body fell down. At the same time, Natalie saw another mobster and took that one down. Her count said at least 4 were down here, and another round of gunfire followed by a sarcastic "Sorry, sh-thead!" from Manny told them that only one remained.
"Go back to the entrance. NOW!" Natalie ordered Nick, "I'll risk using the light to find Emily!"
"All right," Nick said.
"If it becomes too dangerous, don't be afraid to bury me alive by letting off those charges."
"Natalie...," the memories came back.
Natalie quickly took off into the darkness while Nick returned to the exit. The sound of gunfire from the direction he was leaving suggested that Natalie had found the last one. In spite of the pain, Natalie ran after the person and lost the mobster when she, too, like Emily, tripped in the wetness of the sewer. She scrambled up and continued her pursuit.
Meanwhile, Emily was desperately struggling for her life. With time, her breathing was becoming increasingly labored, and resisting was increasingly difficult. She knew she was near the end and quietly hoped, even prayed, that Natalie would find her. Worse was the pain of the device that was making her internally sore. As the remaining mobster stood and kicked her in the ribs, Emily summoned her strength and let out "UGHHHHHHH!" into the ball gag. This was her last stand, and she felt herself becoming weak.
"EMILY!" Natalie ran after the noise and ignored all the pain. Yes, she would die for Emily if need be, although she was unaware that she was racing against time. As she peered around the corner and saw the mobster, Natalie let out a round into the woman, who fell down. Seeing Emily, Natalie quickly grabbed her knife and cut the rope around Emily's throat.
"Ah...," Emily softly groaned as oxygen filled her lungs again.
Natalie fired a full round again into the mobster to be sure she was dead and that Emily was avenged. Natalie cut the remaining ropes and helped Emily to stand up and removed the gag. Emily leaned against the sewer wall and just looked at Natalie while panting and holding herself. She never even looked as she removed the object that had violated her and threw it into the water.
"Natalie," she gasped.
"I promised I'd save you if you were in danger," Natalie smiled and nodded.
"You're as much the woman I imagined."
Emily stood on her tiptoes, put her arms on Natalie's shoulders, and stole the kiss on the cheek she had always desired of Natalie before she motioned for Natalie to follow as she slowly walked away from the scene. Her underwear and bra were gone, but she still pulled her jeans up. She didn't notice really anything else before she let out a sad observation.
"Natalie, even women will violate you if they're demented enough," she spoke softly and looked at Natalie.
"I," Natalie blushed as she realized Emily was experiencing the same hero worship for her that Natalie had felt for Nick, "understand."
"Thanks. Sorry about that... cousin."
"It was in the heat of the moment," Natalie answered as they rounded the corner and approached the ladder.
"Nice tits!" Nick smiled with relief to see both girls alive.
"Oh, sh-t!" Emily blushed and pulled down her shirt and looked at the smiling Natalie.
"Let's get out of here!" Natalie said.
As soon as they were at the surface, Nick entered his code while Franz and Manny closed the manhole. With a "KABOOM!" the restaurant and all its grounds sank below the surface and with it any remaining employees inside. A distant chime from a church announced that it was the bottom of the 9AM hour as the team climbed back into the van.
"Natalie, may I... sit with you?" Emily was clearly asking for a little more than just taking a seat.
"Emily, sweetie, what happened?!" Jessica asked with deep concern when she saw the strangulation marks.
"Nats saved my life; that's what," was Emily's response.
"Let's sit down under a blanket, hmm?" Natalie kindly permitted her roommate to do this.
Natalie sat down, and she slid down until Emily quietly told her to stop. Felicia put a blanket over the two, and a very stressed, scared, and hurt Emily quickly fell asleep against the big girl. The larger one just looked at Jessica, motioned for her to hush, and smiled. Everyone was proud of how Emily took control to lead a mission and even displayed courageous leadership while dying.
"I'm proud of you," Manny said to his daughter, "You threw your life away to save her."
"No, she made the first sacrifice by going down there; I just did what was necessary to save the team leader."
"You both did well," Nick reinforced Natalie's view, "But your father is justified in his pride."
Inside, Natalie shrugged because she just did what she had to do in order to keep her loved ones safe, and Emily had done the same in a much, much bigger and more meaningful way. Natalie was a natural fighter, but Emily had taken on the courage of a fighter when she wasn't one. Only they knew the real nature of their cuddling like this, and after the morning's events Natalie was more than willing to let Emily have the taboo moment of her dreams.
It was the least Natalie could do for the hero of the hour.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
[mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]GreyLord[/mention] [mention]Mr Underheel[/mention]
Early posting
Chapter 25: Exhausted
"Die, you pr-cks!" Charlie yelled as she fired at the pursuing vehicle.
The windshield broke on the Cadillac, and Charlie shouted for Michael to get a move on things. He handed her a bottle that she lit ablaze and tossed through the open windshield, starting all the passengers on their way to a slow fiery death.
Contrary to what Michael had thought, Buffalo was heavily infiltrated with enemies who had pursued them on their way out of the city. This was now becoming quite problematic for Charlie who had gone through an arsenal of weapons in attempting to repel the pursuers. Now, they were about to make a stop to replenish both gasoline and weapons.
Charlie loved Natalie and Emily, but she was finished with Michael and ready to toss him from the car at highway speed. He was plain and simple not mafia material. That doesn't change that he was a good person. but he was a liability in a life-or-death battle. All-in-all, Charlie was trying, but sometimes she slipped.
"For a guy who sizes up every ass in the grocery store, you lack the balls to defend yourself!"
"Charlie, watch it!" Fix-It yelled at her.
"I need him helping me even if he's just spotting!" Charlie blew up on him too.
"Ask the kid! He's young, and he's scared!"
"Damn it! Quit being correct," this statement came through gritted teeth.
Charlie apologized for her actions even though she was young and scared as well. Not everyone was a natural warrior, and she had to be a source of courage and hope to this young man before he gave a glowing review of her to her roommates. When they stopped for gas, however, Charlie took advantage to head to the rest room, grabbing something as she went.
She looked in the mirror and saw a beautiful but tired young woman. She had shoulder length black waves that were disheveled from not being properly cared for in the past week, and that made her a little bit sad. Her ripped blue jeans were... even more ripped now, and her pink t-shirt was stained from gunpowder and grease and dirt. Taking a page from Natalie's book, she put on a pink bandana in a headband style with the patterns showing nicely on top of her head; maybe that would make Fix-It and Michael shut up!
Charlie walked back to the car feeling very relieved as she knew that would not be the last attack. As she climbed back into the car for it to make its way back to Interstate 86, she remained silent and pensive. Was Natalie really doing all right? What about that girl Felicia? Was anyone besides herself telling the 100% truth about themselves?
She suddenly realized that she was a woman now. She had her fears, but she faced them. She chose her actions deliberately, and she took responsibility for her actions. Her duty was to protect this car from attackers at all costs, and she would do her best. That duty included making sure Michael stayed safe for the sake of his sisters and father. It hit her then that Michael had already lived several years without his mother, and she knew she had been too harsh on the young man.
"Mikey... I'm... sorry for not being more understanding," she let the words out slowly to make sure she said the right thing.
"Don't worry about it," Michael responded as the car stopped.
Fix-It had inside information nationwide. Here they were restocking on all sorts of military grade weapons. But a pink machine gun? Now that was definitely Charlie's style, and Fix-It picked it out just for her. She figured Jessica would be jealous, but Natalie would rather have camouflage if she was going to have fancy artillery. By the time they were done restocking, there were bullets everywhere as Fix-It was ready for a "Custer's Last Stand" battle against Rossi and his men.
The ride proved to be a problematic trip indeed as soon after they had their supplies, more vehicles began attacking. A new twist came this time: they weren't the distinctive black Cadillacs. Riccardo Rossi had bought his backup, and that meant major trouble for all both in this vehicle and in the Mercedes-Benz.
"Michael, call or text your sister A.S.A.P!" Charlie said as she fed a magazine into the car's chamber.
"What do you I say?"
"Just tell her that Rossi's new goons don't necessarily drive black Caddy's!" she said as she fired the gun and hit it just right to make the car explode.
This was now a much more terrifying journey, and Charlie found herself in a ridiculous situation with literally killing goons in groups of 2s, 4s, and even 6s. By the time the sun was rising, she had killed at least 28 goons in this and similar manners whether with the car's guns, her new pink machine gun, or grenades. Frankly, she was exhausted from having no sleep all night.
But, then more company arrived, and Charlie knew she had to keep fighting. She watched the two new attacking vehicles approach them. One was a motorcycle, and the other was a blue Camaro.
Once again, Charlie loaded the car's machine guns and took careful aim before firing at the tire of the motorcycle, which caused both the rider and his passenger to fall down into the path of an 18-wheeler hauling logs. Charlie shuddered a little as she grabbed her gun and rolled down the window.
Fix-It, at her behest, moved the car so that she could fire at the windshield of the car, and the glass shattered. This gave her liberty to quickly toss a grenade into the vehicle. In a few moments, a massive kaboom ended the world of all those two-bit guido wannabes and let them in safety again.
For the first time, Charlie realized that she was no longer scared. She hated having to kill and felt guilt for it, but she wasn't afraid. In fact, she was so fearless it unnerved her in an ironic twist. She had the same kind of courage that Frank had, and she hoped it would be an asset much as his fearlessness was.
"It just doesn't end, does it, man?" she asked Fix-It.
"I'm proud of you little lady!" he said with confident smile.
Fix-It stopped once more, but this time he did for food. He got what each of his passengers wanted to eat and went into a restaurant, and Charlie moved to the driver's seat. It was her one chance now to ask Michael questions, but she wanted the, to count.
"I know Nats and Jess pretty well. What does all this mess mean to you?" Charlie asked Michael.
"A big mess... No mother, a father who cares but may die at any moment, a sister who adores me, and ghosts of the past who turn out to be my sister and mother," he replied ruefully.
"Damn, I'm sorry. I haven't slept for two days; I hope you can get some winks in on this next leg."
"Doubt it. Hopefully we get to celebrate Christmas," the young man talked a lot like his oldest sister.
Never before had a Coca-Cola seemed so good to Charlotte Sullivan, and a jumbo one was her best friend as she took over driving while fighting the urge to just collapse. It was a journey fraught with dangers, and she was glad to not be the one having to defend the car.
As Charlie drove along, it became her turn to be doing evasive maneuvers because another pair of motorcycle guidos began attacking. In the heat of such moments, one is never certain while doing what they can. In Charlie's case, it's keeping herself and her passengers safe. In Fix-It's case, it's b-tching about having to use a pink machine gun while Charlie laughed,
Charlie did something entirely new though to one of the motorcycle gangsters... she crashed into one of them, turning both he and his passenger into road kill. She was horrified; one week ago, she was scared to death in such a situation. Now she just calmly found an unique solution that quickly resolved an issue. That freed Fix-It to use the machine gun to quickly give some severe injuries to the other pair.
Somehow, she felt like she had passed a test, the test of life. Could she have the most horrible situations put before her young eyes and handle the sudden adjustment all while still in the phase of neurological development? Yes, yes she could, and she could do many tasks on her own without having things explained, making herself a valuable right-hand to the commander of the moment whether it was Nick, Jessica, Fix-It, Natalie, or someone else.
The Coca-Cola was literally the only thing keeping them alive because otherwise she would have, without any doubt, fallen asleep behind the wheel of the car. Sleep was the thing they needed most, but she understood that not only was Mr. Rossi also losing as much sleep but that he had the disadvantage of being scared. As long as any of this group was alive, he had to fear for his life.
A phone soon arrived, and Charlie got all the excitement she needed when she got the incredible news that Natalie Woodward had kicked ass in Philadelphia and was alive! Charlie almost bounced out of her chair with ebullience.
"Fix-It! Natalie just called Jessica and is all right!" Charlie spoke excitedly.
"I told you! See? She made her own escape! She's a smart cat!" Fix-It joined the jubilation.
"I know you did! Oh, I'm so relieved! Damn that girl is special!"
"You know what else is special?" Fix-It made sure Charlie had her focus.
"What?" she asked her friend.
"She'd have been just as worried had it been the other way around."
Charlie knew that was true. The girls all cared about each other even though perhaps they had each put their past aside when they decided to be friends. In spite of all the sad truths revealed, their friendship had grown stronger on this trip. A renewed spirit was now filling Charlie's soul, and she knew they had the advantage.
Michael was also happy to know his sister was alive. The emotions were bittersweet for him as the youngest child and never really getting to know her because they were, in his memory, playmates. More importantly, though, was that, despite being the baby of the three, he had the most vivid memories of those times together and could still remember them as if they had just happened the previous day.
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"Dad, I miss Natalie," Jessica, now 14, whined to her father one day while they were eating dinner.
"I'm sorry...," her father responded with a frown, "I miss the visits too."
"Manny, I think it's time they knew," their mother responded, "They can handle it."
"Handle what? Mom, Dad?" young Michael blurted out as he stopped eating.
"Children...," Mother started, "I'm not your mother."
"You're not?" Jessica was surprise.
"But you still love us, so what does it matter?" Michael responded because that was what counted.
"Natalie is your sister," Manny said to his children, "and her mother is your mother."
"What?!" both children almost choked on their ravioli.
Thus, the story came out in terms appropriate for children their ages. Their mother wasn't interested in the two younger children or her husband, so she took Natalie and left. When Michael was done nursing, he was foisted upon his father and new girlfriend. Shortly thereafter, Manny married, and their new mother eagerly adopted them as she had no children of her own.
"That's why there are no baby pictures of us!" Jessica realized.
What disturbed the children more was that they had a mother who didn't care about them at all... instead, their father's second wife loved them so much that they were none the more aware, and they loved her even more after that. Dad made sure his children were cared for and had found them a Mom who really was the fictional "Super Mom." After supper, both children gave Mom a tight hug.
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"Mom, no!" Jessica, now 16, held her mother's right hand tightly, while Michael, 15, held her left, and father stood crouched by her head.
Cancer all over the body was ending the life of Mrs. Napolitano. She had just received last rites from the priest, and now they were keeping vigil. With what little strength she had left, their mother smiled at them and her husband. These last few weeks had been a nightmare with a backache suddenly turning out to be "You're dying of cancer; we're sorry."
"I love you all so much," Mom said, then added, "Give my love to my mom too."
"We will," Jessica promised.
"Mickey is so handsome, just like his father," she said with a giggle because Michael hated being called that nickname.
They quietly sat in the makeshift hospice room that their living room had become because they wanted mother to still be part of life even as she was dying so that no one would forget to keep her involved. Children still talked about school, and husband chatted about work. It was all perfect as they listened to the birds on the feeder outside. A finch, Mom's favorite bird, paused on the feeder and made a loud twittering sound, and all turned to look at it. When it flew away, Manny looked and saw his wife was unconscious.
Thirty minutes later, she was gone.
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"You OK, Michael?" Fix-It asked.
"Yeah... just thinking about my family," he responded.
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"Take the girls' coats and prepare them with supplies necessary for their journey," Michael said, "Cuff them and bring them up here."
"Yes, Sarge," the grunt responded.
Michael was nervous and felt like a Pokémon Team Rocket boss just standing around while the empire collapsed and went to hell. Now, he was sending for his long lost sister and cousin and had to restrain his emotions. As he watched Natalie and Emily enter, he had to fight tears.
There she was, just as Jessica had described, his big sister. As he talked, her tough side showed, but the same sweetheart was underneath it all. The friend of his youth was still as incredible as she was when he looked up to her from when they were children. In a game of Cops & Robbers, Natalie was always either a formidable robber or a bad cop who would go for the kill before the arrest.
Once, during such a game, which they always played pretend as they only had toy cuffs, she had accidentally punched Michael hard while pretending to do so. As soon as he had yelled in pain, she started apologizing and even, now he knew, lost the game on purpose so that he'd feel better. That same girl now sat before him as he lectured them.
"Bring Natalie alone," the Sergeant said again some time later.
He was writing a note on a piece of paper that said "Chicago. Boston" for her to read. He walked behind the tied girl and unloosened the ropes and told her what to do. All his men had been instructed on letting her escape. It was all about staging at this point. As she ran, he just quietly hoped they would meet again.
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As the vehicle approached the east side of Philadelphia, it was time for a special moment. The family reunion would soon, in his mind, be complete.
He was going to finally hug his big sister again.
Early posting
Chapter 25: Exhausted
"Die, you pr-cks!" Charlie yelled as she fired at the pursuing vehicle.
The windshield broke on the Cadillac, and Charlie shouted for Michael to get a move on things. He handed her a bottle that she lit ablaze and tossed through the open windshield, starting all the passengers on their way to a slow fiery death.
Contrary to what Michael had thought, Buffalo was heavily infiltrated with enemies who had pursued them on their way out of the city. This was now becoming quite problematic for Charlie who had gone through an arsenal of weapons in attempting to repel the pursuers. Now, they were about to make a stop to replenish both gasoline and weapons.
Charlie loved Natalie and Emily, but she was finished with Michael and ready to toss him from the car at highway speed. He was plain and simple not mafia material. That doesn't change that he was a good person. but he was a liability in a life-or-death battle. All-in-all, Charlie was trying, but sometimes she slipped.
"For a guy who sizes up every ass in the grocery store, you lack the balls to defend yourself!"
"Charlie, watch it!" Fix-It yelled at her.
"I need him helping me even if he's just spotting!" Charlie blew up on him too.
"Ask the kid! He's young, and he's scared!"
"Damn it! Quit being correct," this statement came through gritted teeth.
Charlie apologized for her actions even though she was young and scared as well. Not everyone was a natural warrior, and she had to be a source of courage and hope to this young man before he gave a glowing review of her to her roommates. When they stopped for gas, however, Charlie took advantage to head to the rest room, grabbing something as she went.
She looked in the mirror and saw a beautiful but tired young woman. She had shoulder length black waves that were disheveled from not being properly cared for in the past week, and that made her a little bit sad. Her ripped blue jeans were... even more ripped now, and her pink t-shirt was stained from gunpowder and grease and dirt. Taking a page from Natalie's book, she put on a pink bandana in a headband style with the patterns showing nicely on top of her head; maybe that would make Fix-It and Michael shut up!
Charlie walked back to the car feeling very relieved as she knew that would not be the last attack. As she climbed back into the car for it to make its way back to Interstate 86, she remained silent and pensive. Was Natalie really doing all right? What about that girl Felicia? Was anyone besides herself telling the 100% truth about themselves?
She suddenly realized that she was a woman now. She had her fears, but she faced them. She chose her actions deliberately, and she took responsibility for her actions. Her duty was to protect this car from attackers at all costs, and she would do her best. That duty included making sure Michael stayed safe for the sake of his sisters and father. It hit her then that Michael had already lived several years without his mother, and she knew she had been too harsh on the young man.
"Mikey... I'm... sorry for not being more understanding," she let the words out slowly to make sure she said the right thing.
"Don't worry about it," Michael responded as the car stopped.
Fix-It had inside information nationwide. Here they were restocking on all sorts of military grade weapons. But a pink machine gun? Now that was definitely Charlie's style, and Fix-It picked it out just for her. She figured Jessica would be jealous, but Natalie would rather have camouflage if she was going to have fancy artillery. By the time they were done restocking, there were bullets everywhere as Fix-It was ready for a "Custer's Last Stand" battle against Rossi and his men.
The ride proved to be a problematic trip indeed as soon after they had their supplies, more vehicles began attacking. A new twist came this time: they weren't the distinctive black Cadillacs. Riccardo Rossi had bought his backup, and that meant major trouble for all both in this vehicle and in the Mercedes-Benz.
"Michael, call or text your sister A.S.A.P!" Charlie said as she fed a magazine into the car's chamber.
"What do you I say?"
"Just tell her that Rossi's new goons don't necessarily drive black Caddy's!" she said as she fired the gun and hit it just right to make the car explode.
This was now a much more terrifying journey, and Charlie found herself in a ridiculous situation with literally killing goons in groups of 2s, 4s, and even 6s. By the time the sun was rising, she had killed at least 28 goons in this and similar manners whether with the car's guns, her new pink machine gun, or grenades. Frankly, she was exhausted from having no sleep all night.
But, then more company arrived, and Charlie knew she had to keep fighting. She watched the two new attacking vehicles approach them. One was a motorcycle, and the other was a blue Camaro.
Once again, Charlie loaded the car's machine guns and took careful aim before firing at the tire of the motorcycle, which caused both the rider and his passenger to fall down into the path of an 18-wheeler hauling logs. Charlie shuddered a little as she grabbed her gun and rolled down the window.
Fix-It, at her behest, moved the car so that she could fire at the windshield of the car, and the glass shattered. This gave her liberty to quickly toss a grenade into the vehicle. In a few moments, a massive kaboom ended the world of all those two-bit guido wannabes and let them in safety again.
For the first time, Charlie realized that she was no longer scared. She hated having to kill and felt guilt for it, but she wasn't afraid. In fact, she was so fearless it unnerved her in an ironic twist. She had the same kind of courage that Frank had, and she hoped it would be an asset much as his fearlessness was.
"It just doesn't end, does it, man?" she asked Fix-It.
"I'm proud of you little lady!" he said with confident smile.
Fix-It stopped once more, but this time he did for food. He got what each of his passengers wanted to eat and went into a restaurant, and Charlie moved to the driver's seat. It was her one chance now to ask Michael questions, but she wanted the, to count.
"I know Nats and Jess pretty well. What does all this mess mean to you?" Charlie asked Michael.
"A big mess... No mother, a father who cares but may die at any moment, a sister who adores me, and ghosts of the past who turn out to be my sister and mother," he replied ruefully.
"Damn, I'm sorry. I haven't slept for two days; I hope you can get some winks in on this next leg."
"Doubt it. Hopefully we get to celebrate Christmas," the young man talked a lot like his oldest sister.
Never before had a Coca-Cola seemed so good to Charlotte Sullivan, and a jumbo one was her best friend as she took over driving while fighting the urge to just collapse. It was a journey fraught with dangers, and she was glad to not be the one having to defend the car.
As Charlie drove along, it became her turn to be doing evasive maneuvers because another pair of motorcycle guidos began attacking. In the heat of such moments, one is never certain while doing what they can. In Charlie's case, it's keeping herself and her passengers safe. In Fix-It's case, it's b-tching about having to use a pink machine gun while Charlie laughed,
Charlie did something entirely new though to one of the motorcycle gangsters... she crashed into one of them, turning both he and his passenger into road kill. She was horrified; one week ago, she was scared to death in such a situation. Now she just calmly found an unique solution that quickly resolved an issue. That freed Fix-It to use the machine gun to quickly give some severe injuries to the other pair.
Somehow, she felt like she had passed a test, the test of life. Could she have the most horrible situations put before her young eyes and handle the sudden adjustment all while still in the phase of neurological development? Yes, yes she could, and she could do many tasks on her own without having things explained, making herself a valuable right-hand to the commander of the moment whether it was Nick, Jessica, Fix-It, Natalie, or someone else.
The Coca-Cola was literally the only thing keeping them alive because otherwise she would have, without any doubt, fallen asleep behind the wheel of the car. Sleep was the thing they needed most, but she understood that not only was Mr. Rossi also losing as much sleep but that he had the disadvantage of being scared. As long as any of this group was alive, he had to fear for his life.
A phone soon arrived, and Charlie got all the excitement she needed when she got the incredible news that Natalie Woodward had kicked ass in Philadelphia and was alive! Charlie almost bounced out of her chair with ebullience.
"Fix-It! Natalie just called Jessica and is all right!" Charlie spoke excitedly.
"I told you! See? She made her own escape! She's a smart cat!" Fix-It joined the jubilation.
"I know you did! Oh, I'm so relieved! Damn that girl is special!"
"You know what else is special?" Fix-It made sure Charlie had her focus.
"What?" she asked her friend.
"She'd have been just as worried had it been the other way around."
Charlie knew that was true. The girls all cared about each other even though perhaps they had each put their past aside when they decided to be friends. In spite of all the sad truths revealed, their friendship had grown stronger on this trip. A renewed spirit was now filling Charlie's soul, and she knew they had the advantage.
Michael was also happy to know his sister was alive. The emotions were bittersweet for him as the youngest child and never really getting to know her because they were, in his memory, playmates. More importantly, though, was that, despite being the baby of the three, he had the most vivid memories of those times together and could still remember them as if they had just happened the previous day.
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"Dad, I miss Natalie," Jessica, now 14, whined to her father one day while they were eating dinner.
"I'm sorry...," her father responded with a frown, "I miss the visits too."
"Manny, I think it's time they knew," their mother responded, "They can handle it."
"Handle what? Mom, Dad?" young Michael blurted out as he stopped eating.
"Children...," Mother started, "I'm not your mother."
"You're not?" Jessica was surprise.
"But you still love us, so what does it matter?" Michael responded because that was what counted.
"Natalie is your sister," Manny said to his children, "and her mother is your mother."
"What?!" both children almost choked on their ravioli.
Thus, the story came out in terms appropriate for children their ages. Their mother wasn't interested in the two younger children or her husband, so she took Natalie and left. When Michael was done nursing, he was foisted upon his father and new girlfriend. Shortly thereafter, Manny married, and their new mother eagerly adopted them as she had no children of her own.
"That's why there are no baby pictures of us!" Jessica realized.
What disturbed the children more was that they had a mother who didn't care about them at all... instead, their father's second wife loved them so much that they were none the more aware, and they loved her even more after that. Dad made sure his children were cared for and had found them a Mom who really was the fictional "Super Mom." After supper, both children gave Mom a tight hug.
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"Mom, no!" Jessica, now 16, held her mother's right hand tightly, while Michael, 15, held her left, and father stood crouched by her head.
Cancer all over the body was ending the life of Mrs. Napolitano. She had just received last rites from the priest, and now they were keeping vigil. With what little strength she had left, their mother smiled at them and her husband. These last few weeks had been a nightmare with a backache suddenly turning out to be "You're dying of cancer; we're sorry."
"I love you all so much," Mom said, then added, "Give my love to my mom too."
"We will," Jessica promised.
"Mickey is so handsome, just like his father," she said with a giggle because Michael hated being called that nickname.
They quietly sat in the makeshift hospice room that their living room had become because they wanted mother to still be part of life even as she was dying so that no one would forget to keep her involved. Children still talked about school, and husband chatted about work. It was all perfect as they listened to the birds on the feeder outside. A finch, Mom's favorite bird, paused on the feeder and made a loud twittering sound, and all turned to look at it. When it flew away, Manny looked and saw his wife was unconscious.
Thirty minutes later, she was gone.
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"You OK, Michael?" Fix-It asked.
"Yeah... just thinking about my family," he responded.
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"Take the girls' coats and prepare them with supplies necessary for their journey," Michael said, "Cuff them and bring them up here."
"Yes, Sarge," the grunt responded.
Michael was nervous and felt like a Pokémon Team Rocket boss just standing around while the empire collapsed and went to hell. Now, he was sending for his long lost sister and cousin and had to restrain his emotions. As he watched Natalie and Emily enter, he had to fight tears.
There she was, just as Jessica had described, his big sister. As he talked, her tough side showed, but the same sweetheart was underneath it all. The friend of his youth was still as incredible as she was when he looked up to her from when they were children. In a game of Cops & Robbers, Natalie was always either a formidable robber or a bad cop who would go for the kill before the arrest.
Once, during such a game, which they always played pretend as they only had toy cuffs, she had accidentally punched Michael hard while pretending to do so. As soon as he had yelled in pain, she started apologizing and even, now he knew, lost the game on purpose so that he'd feel better. That same girl now sat before him as he lectured them.
"Bring Natalie alone," the Sergeant said again some time later.
He was writing a note on a piece of paper that said "Chicago. Boston" for her to read. He walked behind the tied girl and unloosened the ropes and told her what to do. All his men had been instructed on letting her escape. It was all about staging at this point. As she ran, he just quietly hoped they would meet again.
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As the vehicle approached the east side of Philadelphia, it was time for a special moment. The family reunion would soon, in his mind, be complete.
He was going to finally hug his big sister again.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Chapter 26: Distressed
Natalie quietly stared at her friend because she was unable to sleep. It hurt her too much to see the strangulation mark from the choke rope, and she knew the terror of being strangled. This was the first time one of them was actually straight-up executed, and Natalie was glad that Emily had been saved in time.
The rendezvous lacked excitement as all tried to stay quiet for Emily's sake, but she woke up to find herself still with her friend tightly cuddled up next to her. At the moment, everyone was standing outside and stretching, it turned out, while deciding what to do because everyone was dead tired. She looked at Natalie and spoke quietly.
"Don't mind me," she hugged Natalie tightly, "That's for being my best friend."
"Since we're alone, I'll make myself clear," Natalie spoke softly, "don't ever tie me up again unless I ask you to do so."
"I don't want to play those games for a long time," Emily choked tears.
"Want to steal one more ever?" she asked.
"May I?"
Natalie smiled and nodded. Emily sat up, grabbed Natalie's head with her hands, and gave the girl a big kiss on the cheek. She knew Natalie meant it when she said "one more ever" and appreciated the moment so much. Finally, Emily had the closure she had so long sought, and she felt like the feeling had exited her at that moment. With a pat on Natalie's green-fabric-covered head that Natalie returned on Emily's similarly brown head, Emily stood up and went outside to join the rest with Natalie following her.
Outside, there was something a lot more than just planning happening. Jessica and Michael had patiently waited over 20 minutes for Natalie to emerge. Finally, here they were... the three children, together again. As the searing pain returned in the absence of adrenaline, a weakened Natalie stumbled over to her siblings.
Natalie just did what seemed right: she hugged her brother. How she wished she had known sooner that the friend of her youth had been her own flesh and blood. A great pain filled her heart because of a new bitterness she felt against her own mother, a bitterness that the two younger siblings had been spared.
A greyness filled the sky, and the first flakes of yet a new snowfall began. Travel wouldn't be difficult as the snow was expected to be slow, but it would be steady. They had no time to waste as Christmas approached quickly, and they had so much more to accomplish before then.
"It's so different seeing you again, and now with you clean-shaven I see the little boy," Natalie said, "Our last meeting was scarier."
"Well, I had to keep you scared to make you do what I said, and I wasn't joking about being able to sic you if I wanted," Michael responded with a laugh.
"Come on, we all need rest, daytime or not," Charlie said to the group.
"Let me take this," Emily said as her phone rang, "Uncle Romano."
"So you know. Motel 6, Trenton, I will text you the reservations," he said and hung up.
"He," Emily said ruefully, "Is so freaking weird!"
The large group made things work thanks to the help of Agent Romano, a.k.a. Romano Napolitano. There was adequate space, and Felicia and Emily shared a bed while the other girls shared another. The men also had beds and a pull-out sofa in their room, although they shared beds more out of necessity than desire. Never had sleep felt so good.
Rest and recovery also included treating injuries. Natalie and Jessica had plenty of horrid wounds, Emily had a concussion, Jessica had a broken bone, Charlie had her gunshot, Nick had his own gunshot, and both Emily and Natalie had trauma.
"That guidette...," Emily said sadly, "We can spoon if you'd like, but that's all."
"I'll be in the middle," Natalie said to Charlie and Jessica, "So if I freak out I won't be near a gun."
"What happened, Nats?" Charlie asked as she didn't know.
"That douche Rossi... he r-ped me," Natalie finally said it, "That's twice now... TWICE!"
"We're going to get you some vengeance, baby," the black girl promised her friend.
She never realized she had her own faint strangulation mark under her shirt until she looked in the mirror before getting into bed. Riccardo Rossi would pay for those injuries and inappropriately touching her and slapping her. He would! She would make sure of it! Or else!
Sleep was welcome to all, and the day just slipped away and gave itself to late afternoon. When Charlie opened her eyes and felt a but refreshed, she knew it was go time, and she immediately sprang out of the bed and into action after a good 8 hours of sleep. It was time to drive to New York and attack by night.
"All right!" Natalie the Christmas girl spoke, "I'm going to travel in the Impreza with Charlie and Emily. The rest in the van, I prefer Felicia navigate. Jessica and Fix-It will work at the computers doing all the surveillance and investigative work. Nick will drive, and Frank will lead defensive operations from there. I need some time alone with my roommates. Got it?"
Natalie was back at the helm although she knew she couldn't necessarily be the leader in combat situations. This arrangement, she reasoned, spread out their brains and brawn to defend themselves against an attack. It also gave her private time with her friends. First task was to get food on their own dimes, and then the Natalie Woodward Gang would be back on the road and heading toward toward New York City to finish this journey.
It was eerily quiet in the Impreza, though. Those first 10 minutes of Natalie driving the car to the restaurant were met by a silence that told Charlie something was seriously wrong with her roommate. Friends do not let friends suffer alone, and Charlie knew she had to speak now or forever hold her peace. To get her moment, Charlie told Emily to get the food for them and let her and Natalie stay.
"Natalie Woodward, I'm worried about you," Charlie said.
"You and everyone else! GET OFF ME!" Natalie snapped at her friend.
"Natalie, you're my best friend! You can tell me your fears and worries and sadness," Charlie pushed, and Natalie knew she had to give.
Natalie explained just how injured she really was and what both Jessica and Emily thought about her health. Charlie wasn't worried about that though; she could see all the damage to her friends body; she had just helped clean her up the night before. There was something much more concerning: Natalie's mental health.
"Yes, I threatened to kill myself and was about to do it in front of Jess and Ems," Natalie admitted.
"Just a little farther, Natalie... and remember we were coerced to do this," Charlie reminded her.
"Let's go, girls," Emily entered the car.
Charlie felt it was unfair that her last meal, should this be it, would be a Big Mac, but then again that meant that Natalie's was a Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. After multiple fancy meals paid for by Agent Romano, this was like being told "eat sh-t and die." Charlie giggled to herself about her silly thoughts.
"Girls, I just want this to be clear well in advance... If anything bad happens to be, tell my parents I love them," Emily said.
"Will you do the same for me?" Natalie asked as she ate and drove.
"This is our friendship pact; if one of us dies or gets maimed, we promise to be the source of comfort to our loved ones. Deal?" Charlie laid it out.
"DEAL!" Natalie agreed.
The drive continued in another awkward silence before Natalie opened her mouth and admitted something terrible: she felt like a stranger in this world. She had a father who willingly walked away from her, and a mother who lied to her. Her father was a famous impenitent murderer, and her mother had abandoned her siblings. It seemed harsh, but her parents were both evil just in differing ways.
Charlie attempted to argue that Natalie's mother was protecting her, but Emily took Natalie's side. Both parents did what was best for themselves at the expense of their children. At least Manny had taken steps to make sure his two younger children were cared for and told them the truth; Natalie had to confront her mother about the truth. Emily felt that a grievous injustice had been done to all the children.
"Natalie, your life has become something important. Like it or not, those two have looked up to you for years and have been waiting for this opportunity to get to know you again; they genuinely care about you; give them a chance, and keep proving to them that you will not let these discoveries change the wonderful person that Charlie and I love. You do that, and they'll love you even more."
There was a different realization in Natalie's head... she didn't have just one family. She had three. She had her mother and step-father; she had Jessica, Michael, and her biological father; and she had Charlie and Emily. All of them were special, and she felt in herself a newfound desire to win this battle and be the hero her father and his mysterious brother see in her. She didn't want the accolades; she wanted to end this so that her loved ones could return to their old peaceful lives.
She was at peace with whatever happened to herself so long as everyone else survived to win as a result. In her heart, it was obvious that nearly all of them... even Jessica, Fix-It, and Frank, for certain, would willingly lose their life if it meant the rest of this operation made it home. This was the best team for this job if only because of how strongly they had all connected and worked together for the good of all; nay, they were the best team for each other for this job.
"We got company," Jessica suddenly interrupted them using the two-way.
"Copy that!" Charlie responded, "If they're on motorcycle and in range, Emily will handle them. Frank can get them from the hatch, too."
"I understand you," Frank responded.
It was time for a new approach to war on the road. Natalie got on the radio and told Nick to smash on the breaks and for Fix-It, Frank, and Manny to be ready for straight-up warfare. Natalie pulled the car over, and Charlie got out on one side while Emily and Natalie handled the car's under-mounted machine guns.
Natalie quietly hoped her plan would work because it assumed everyone was best suited to the job she had assigned. As she loaded a gun and began pumping people full of lead in tandem with everyone else, it became clear that they were a well-oiled machine. It was all going well until...
"CHARLIE!! RUNNNNNN! NATALIE, HIT THE GAS!
Natalie and Charlie instinctively did what Emily said and barely escaped as a grenade went off right where the car had been parked. Emily took a machine gun and stepped out to fire on the person that threw the grenade. After some back and forth, her heavier artillery won, and she and Charlie again took shelter behind the car.
"We have to keep moving, Natalie," Emily said, "Can't stop!"
"I know!" Natalie said, "But we..."
"NOT AGAIN!"
Emily grabbed Natalie this time and just in time as the car was lost in an explosion right under the front axle. A very angry Emily began recklessly riddling bullets into the darkness until everyone was down. She didn't notice the blood pouring down her leg until she and the other two were in the van.
"I took one for you, Nats. I guess I'm evening up the score," Emily joked.
"The car is lost," Natalie said sadly to Fix-It.
"No worries, Nat Cat. We're almost there anyway," Fix-It stayed positive.
Natalie felt defeated once again. Another idea of hers had turned into a disaster, and now she was convinced she was a bad leader. Even though she was a dedicated leader and made many good snap decisions, she failed to understand the sides of this activity known as risk and hindsight.
As she bandaged Emily's legs, she realized she two things. First realization was that she was still needed on this team regardless of her status as leader. Second was that she was arrogant and proud and needed to humble herself. It wasn't too late to change herself.
"Have you considered being a nurse?" Emily asked Natalie.
"Physical therapy is more my thing," Natalie dejectedly responded.
"You should do it. You'd be great."
"I'm pretty good at this serial killer business, too," was Natalie's wry response.
Natalie was convinced no one hated the killing more than she did because she was the one doing most of the killing. Guilt slowly was overtaking her with time, and she knew she was against the clock on finishing this adventure. As she sat next to Emily, she passed out from exhaustion and stress.
In fact, Emily realized that only Fix-It, herself, and her Uncle Manny were the only ones fully with things any more. It was nighttime, and people were fighting exhaustion. Taking charge, Emily ordered that they stop again. They needed the sleep desperately, and she knew they had to be ready to attack. Daytime would be better for them anyway...
It seemed silly to stop to rest so soon, but Emily got it all taken care of courtesy the strange Agent Romano. She would be glad she made this decision. In the morning, it was time for one last transformation as everyone who could made one last clothing change to something a little less crusty.
"You're really stepping down?" Emily asked Natalie,
She asked because of Natalie's white leggings, blue long-sleeve t-shirt, and grey bandana. That suggested to her the exact message Natalie wanted it to convey. Emily sent her own message back with her red sweater, an orange bandana, and her ripped black jeans. Natalie nodded in understanding.
As they walked out, Natalie called her team together and told them what Emily already knew: she was not commanding this last mission and would let someone else handle it. Emily similarly refused, and it caused a bit of bickering before Frank got everything under control. The hard part, he said, would be getting to Rossi.
"I have an idea. Sorry, Natalie!" Nick bludgeoned Natalie on the back of the head with his gun.
"What the f-ck are you doing?!" Jessica shrieked.
"We have to tie her and her father up and use them as the decoy. They're my in to this. Don't forget I'm a Rossi mafia made man!" Nick explained.
"You can't do this!" Emily screamed at him.
Emily had to be held down by Fix-It while Nick ziptied Natalie's ankles, thighs, elbows, and wrists before gagging her with a red ball gag. While the others understood Nick's plan, Emily and Jessica refused to listen. Jessica couldn't do much with her broken arm and had to surrender, but Nick finally zipped Emily in the same fashion and gagged her with a knotted blue bandana.
As Natalie woke up on the floor of the van, she felt that familiar and annoying resistance of bondage.
Natalie quietly stared at her friend because she was unable to sleep. It hurt her too much to see the strangulation mark from the choke rope, and she knew the terror of being strangled. This was the first time one of them was actually straight-up executed, and Natalie was glad that Emily had been saved in time.
The rendezvous lacked excitement as all tried to stay quiet for Emily's sake, but she woke up to find herself still with her friend tightly cuddled up next to her. At the moment, everyone was standing outside and stretching, it turned out, while deciding what to do because everyone was dead tired. She looked at Natalie and spoke quietly.
"Don't mind me," she hugged Natalie tightly, "That's for being my best friend."
"Since we're alone, I'll make myself clear," Natalie spoke softly, "don't ever tie me up again unless I ask you to do so."
"I don't want to play those games for a long time," Emily choked tears.
"Want to steal one more ever?" she asked.
"May I?"
Natalie smiled and nodded. Emily sat up, grabbed Natalie's head with her hands, and gave the girl a big kiss on the cheek. She knew Natalie meant it when she said "one more ever" and appreciated the moment so much. Finally, Emily had the closure she had so long sought, and she felt like the feeling had exited her at that moment. With a pat on Natalie's green-fabric-covered head that Natalie returned on Emily's similarly brown head, Emily stood up and went outside to join the rest with Natalie following her.
Outside, there was something a lot more than just planning happening. Jessica and Michael had patiently waited over 20 minutes for Natalie to emerge. Finally, here they were... the three children, together again. As the searing pain returned in the absence of adrenaline, a weakened Natalie stumbled over to her siblings.
Natalie just did what seemed right: she hugged her brother. How she wished she had known sooner that the friend of her youth had been her own flesh and blood. A great pain filled her heart because of a new bitterness she felt against her own mother, a bitterness that the two younger siblings had been spared.
A greyness filled the sky, and the first flakes of yet a new snowfall began. Travel wouldn't be difficult as the snow was expected to be slow, but it would be steady. They had no time to waste as Christmas approached quickly, and they had so much more to accomplish before then.
"It's so different seeing you again, and now with you clean-shaven I see the little boy," Natalie said, "Our last meeting was scarier."
"Well, I had to keep you scared to make you do what I said, and I wasn't joking about being able to sic you if I wanted," Michael responded with a laugh.
"Come on, we all need rest, daytime or not," Charlie said to the group.
"Let me take this," Emily said as her phone rang, "Uncle Romano."
"So you know. Motel 6, Trenton, I will text you the reservations," he said and hung up.
"He," Emily said ruefully, "Is so freaking weird!"
The large group made things work thanks to the help of Agent Romano, a.k.a. Romano Napolitano. There was adequate space, and Felicia and Emily shared a bed while the other girls shared another. The men also had beds and a pull-out sofa in their room, although they shared beds more out of necessity than desire. Never had sleep felt so good.
Rest and recovery also included treating injuries. Natalie and Jessica had plenty of horrid wounds, Emily had a concussion, Jessica had a broken bone, Charlie had her gunshot, Nick had his own gunshot, and both Emily and Natalie had trauma.
"That guidette...," Emily said sadly, "We can spoon if you'd like, but that's all."
"I'll be in the middle," Natalie said to Charlie and Jessica, "So if I freak out I won't be near a gun."
"What happened, Nats?" Charlie asked as she didn't know.
"That douche Rossi... he r-ped me," Natalie finally said it, "That's twice now... TWICE!"
"We're going to get you some vengeance, baby," the black girl promised her friend.
She never realized she had her own faint strangulation mark under her shirt until she looked in the mirror before getting into bed. Riccardo Rossi would pay for those injuries and inappropriately touching her and slapping her. He would! She would make sure of it! Or else!
Sleep was welcome to all, and the day just slipped away and gave itself to late afternoon. When Charlie opened her eyes and felt a but refreshed, she knew it was go time, and she immediately sprang out of the bed and into action after a good 8 hours of sleep. It was time to drive to New York and attack by night.
"All right!" Natalie the Christmas girl spoke, "I'm going to travel in the Impreza with Charlie and Emily. The rest in the van, I prefer Felicia navigate. Jessica and Fix-It will work at the computers doing all the surveillance and investigative work. Nick will drive, and Frank will lead defensive operations from there. I need some time alone with my roommates. Got it?"
Natalie was back at the helm although she knew she couldn't necessarily be the leader in combat situations. This arrangement, she reasoned, spread out their brains and brawn to defend themselves against an attack. It also gave her private time with her friends. First task was to get food on their own dimes, and then the Natalie Woodward Gang would be back on the road and heading toward toward New York City to finish this journey.
It was eerily quiet in the Impreza, though. Those first 10 minutes of Natalie driving the car to the restaurant were met by a silence that told Charlie something was seriously wrong with her roommate. Friends do not let friends suffer alone, and Charlie knew she had to speak now or forever hold her peace. To get her moment, Charlie told Emily to get the food for them and let her and Natalie stay.
"Natalie Woodward, I'm worried about you," Charlie said.
"You and everyone else! GET OFF ME!" Natalie snapped at her friend.
"Natalie, you're my best friend! You can tell me your fears and worries and sadness," Charlie pushed, and Natalie knew she had to give.
Natalie explained just how injured she really was and what both Jessica and Emily thought about her health. Charlie wasn't worried about that though; she could see all the damage to her friends body; she had just helped clean her up the night before. There was something much more concerning: Natalie's mental health.
"Yes, I threatened to kill myself and was about to do it in front of Jess and Ems," Natalie admitted.
"Just a little farther, Natalie... and remember we were coerced to do this," Charlie reminded her.
"Let's go, girls," Emily entered the car.
Charlie felt it was unfair that her last meal, should this be it, would be a Big Mac, but then again that meant that Natalie's was a Quarter-Pounder with Cheese. After multiple fancy meals paid for by Agent Romano, this was like being told "eat sh-t and die." Charlie giggled to herself about her silly thoughts.
"Girls, I just want this to be clear well in advance... If anything bad happens to be, tell my parents I love them," Emily said.
"Will you do the same for me?" Natalie asked as she ate and drove.
"This is our friendship pact; if one of us dies or gets maimed, we promise to be the source of comfort to our loved ones. Deal?" Charlie laid it out.
"DEAL!" Natalie agreed.
The drive continued in another awkward silence before Natalie opened her mouth and admitted something terrible: she felt like a stranger in this world. She had a father who willingly walked away from her, and a mother who lied to her. Her father was a famous impenitent murderer, and her mother had abandoned her siblings. It seemed harsh, but her parents were both evil just in differing ways.
Charlie attempted to argue that Natalie's mother was protecting her, but Emily took Natalie's side. Both parents did what was best for themselves at the expense of their children. At least Manny had taken steps to make sure his two younger children were cared for and told them the truth; Natalie had to confront her mother about the truth. Emily felt that a grievous injustice had been done to all the children.
"Natalie, your life has become something important. Like it or not, those two have looked up to you for years and have been waiting for this opportunity to get to know you again; they genuinely care about you; give them a chance, and keep proving to them that you will not let these discoveries change the wonderful person that Charlie and I love. You do that, and they'll love you even more."
There was a different realization in Natalie's head... she didn't have just one family. She had three. She had her mother and step-father; she had Jessica, Michael, and her biological father; and she had Charlie and Emily. All of them were special, and she felt in herself a newfound desire to win this battle and be the hero her father and his mysterious brother see in her. She didn't want the accolades; she wanted to end this so that her loved ones could return to their old peaceful lives.
She was at peace with whatever happened to herself so long as everyone else survived to win as a result. In her heart, it was obvious that nearly all of them... even Jessica, Fix-It, and Frank, for certain, would willingly lose their life if it meant the rest of this operation made it home. This was the best team for this job if only because of how strongly they had all connected and worked together for the good of all; nay, they were the best team for each other for this job.
"We got company," Jessica suddenly interrupted them using the two-way.
"Copy that!" Charlie responded, "If they're on motorcycle and in range, Emily will handle them. Frank can get them from the hatch, too."
"I understand you," Frank responded.
It was time for a new approach to war on the road. Natalie got on the radio and told Nick to smash on the breaks and for Fix-It, Frank, and Manny to be ready for straight-up warfare. Natalie pulled the car over, and Charlie got out on one side while Emily and Natalie handled the car's under-mounted machine guns.
Natalie quietly hoped her plan would work because it assumed everyone was best suited to the job she had assigned. As she loaded a gun and began pumping people full of lead in tandem with everyone else, it became clear that they were a well-oiled machine. It was all going well until...
"CHARLIE!! RUNNNNNN! NATALIE, HIT THE GAS!
Natalie and Charlie instinctively did what Emily said and barely escaped as a grenade went off right where the car had been parked. Emily took a machine gun and stepped out to fire on the person that threw the grenade. After some back and forth, her heavier artillery won, and she and Charlie again took shelter behind the car.
"We have to keep moving, Natalie," Emily said, "Can't stop!"
"I know!" Natalie said, "But we..."
"NOT AGAIN!"
Emily grabbed Natalie this time and just in time as the car was lost in an explosion right under the front axle. A very angry Emily began recklessly riddling bullets into the darkness until everyone was down. She didn't notice the blood pouring down her leg until she and the other two were in the van.
"I took one for you, Nats. I guess I'm evening up the score," Emily joked.
"The car is lost," Natalie said sadly to Fix-It.
"No worries, Nat Cat. We're almost there anyway," Fix-It stayed positive.
Natalie felt defeated once again. Another idea of hers had turned into a disaster, and now she was convinced she was a bad leader. Even though she was a dedicated leader and made many good snap decisions, she failed to understand the sides of this activity known as risk and hindsight.
As she bandaged Emily's legs, she realized she two things. First realization was that she was still needed on this team regardless of her status as leader. Second was that she was arrogant and proud and needed to humble herself. It wasn't too late to change herself.
"Have you considered being a nurse?" Emily asked Natalie.
"Physical therapy is more my thing," Natalie dejectedly responded.
"You should do it. You'd be great."
"I'm pretty good at this serial killer business, too," was Natalie's wry response.
Natalie was convinced no one hated the killing more than she did because she was the one doing most of the killing. Guilt slowly was overtaking her with time, and she knew she was against the clock on finishing this adventure. As she sat next to Emily, she passed out from exhaustion and stress.
In fact, Emily realized that only Fix-It, herself, and her Uncle Manny were the only ones fully with things any more. It was nighttime, and people were fighting exhaustion. Taking charge, Emily ordered that they stop again. They needed the sleep desperately, and she knew they had to be ready to attack. Daytime would be better for them anyway...
It seemed silly to stop to rest so soon, but Emily got it all taken care of courtesy the strange Agent Romano. She would be glad she made this decision. In the morning, it was time for one last transformation as everyone who could made one last clothing change to something a little less crusty.
"You're really stepping down?" Emily asked Natalie,
She asked because of Natalie's white leggings, blue long-sleeve t-shirt, and grey bandana. That suggested to her the exact message Natalie wanted it to convey. Emily sent her own message back with her red sweater, an orange bandana, and her ripped black jeans. Natalie nodded in understanding.
As they walked out, Natalie called her team together and told them what Emily already knew: she was not commanding this last mission and would let someone else handle it. Emily similarly refused, and it caused a bit of bickering before Frank got everything under control. The hard part, he said, would be getting to Rossi.
"I have an idea. Sorry, Natalie!" Nick bludgeoned Natalie on the back of the head with his gun.
"What the f-ck are you doing?!" Jessica shrieked.
"We have to tie her and her father up and use them as the decoy. They're my in to this. Don't forget I'm a Rossi mafia made man!" Nick explained.
"You can't do this!" Emily screamed at him.
Emily had to be held down by Fix-It while Nick ziptied Natalie's ankles, thighs, elbows, and wrists before gagging her with a red ball gag. While the others understood Nick's plan, Emily and Jessica refused to listen. Jessica couldn't do much with her broken arm and had to surrender, but Nick finally zipped Emily in the same fashion and gagged her with a knotted blue bandana.
As Natalie woke up on the floor of the van, she felt that familiar and annoying resistance of bondage.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
[mention]GreyLord[/mention] [mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]Mr Underheel[/mention]
Chapter 27: Victorious
"Ick oreno ooh ucking eeth of thit!" Natalie let out into the ball gag.
Natalie started crying. She didn't care about his plan at all. She hated this so much and figured that he also wanted to r-pe her. Maybe this was his plan... Get to this point so he could kill her and take over the Rossi mafia. Whatever it was, she was beyond done with being tied up.
"Calm down, guidette. I got you, baby," Charlie said.
"Ugh!" Natalie just kept crying.
Natalie knew Nick's idea had merit, but she didn't want to be tied up. At all! Period! Under any circumstances! Instead, the trauma of the past week kicked in. She was in that house or truck or cell again... experiencing those nightmares as if anew. She let out a blood curdling shriek.
Emily was in pieces as well. She knew exactly how Natalie felt and was similarly bent out of shape. There was no way she would allow this, and she was willing to kill Nick to prevent Natalie from getting hurt. She too was struggling and yelling.
Jessica had argued with Nick about this and couldn't believe he had the audacity to do it. If it wasn't for her broken arm, Nick would possibly be dead at the moment, and he was more than aware of it. She didn't like this plan, and she worried something terrible was going to happen to one or more of them as a result.
Charlie had sadly helped Nick hatch the plan. She didn't realize that Natalie would react in this way, and she saw no reason for Nick to bludgeon an already severely injured Natalie. She was more worried about what would happen if something went wrong with the plan. For Charlie, she felt that never being forgiven was warranted should something directly go awry as a result of the plan.
Frank felt the plan was stupid and told them all as much, but suddenly on this occasion he was shot down. That to some was automatically unnerving. Putting Natalie into a situation where she was helpless and only one more injury away from dying was absolutely foolish, in his own opinion of the situation.
Manny didn't want to risk his daughter, but he knew Natalie and himself were the two biggest fish in this outfit. Rossi needed both of them dead to have any hope of seeing the New Year. He worried though that his oldest child would be dead before he got to know her... or that he would be dead and his children would have no father.
"GUUUUUH! Huh huh HUHHHHH!" she continued sobbing while Nick recorded her. He then sent the video to Rossi courtesy Manny's connection and asked to meet because "it's the easiest way for you to live." Natalie didn't even notice because she was no longer in this world although she was still a part of it.
Emily was also terribly upset, but she knew she was outnumbered and begged for release. She tried to comfort Natalie, but the gigantic girl wasn't listening to anything.
It didn't seem possible, but here they all were... It was time for the boss fight if you will. The meeting place Rossi demanded was an old, possibly abandoned, apartment building, and in no time, two days before Christmas, here they were. Frank studied the premises and laid out a plan based upon Fix-It and Jessica's observations. This time, Frank's advice was taken much more seriously, and that gave him confidence that Nick's plan would work as well.
Fix-It and Emily would watch the back. Frank and Jessica would watch the front. Nick, Charlie, and Michael would go inside with Natalie and Manny as their prisoners. Felicia would stay at the van, and she promised to do all she could to help. The plan was finalized. Natalie wasn't in any state to listen to the regret of the rest.
The team was set to meet Napolitano on the third floor, but on the second floor Nick motioned to an apartment and told the others to wait. He needed three minutes to talk sense into Natalie. He took Natalie into the back room of the dilapidated building and removed her gag. Before she could do anything, he was kissing her lips.
"Stop!" she broke away.
"Natalie, trust me! Please! You let me have sex with you, and you think I'd suddenly turn on you?!" he asked.
"Yes! I don't want to die like this! I'd rather I had killed myself or gotten shot in Philly!" she cried.
"NO! Listen. I'm going to cut the zip on your legs and elbows now. Just cooperate, please?" he tried to reason with her as he did so.
"Nick... if you mean it... kiss me again."
"Like this?" he repeated the kiss, but slower and more meaningful, because she wanted a good one in case she did die.
"What's your plan?"
"You can bust this last ziptie on your own. I'm trying to make you upset to make it seem more credible, OK?" his plan made sense.
"OK... OK...," she panted, "Do what you must, but no d-cks!"
"All right!"
Natalie was on board with his plan, but she was genuinely upset to be bound and gagged as the ball gag was again in her mouth. Nick began fondling her breasts and crotch and kissed her all over even while she resisted. She started crying again, but she nodded to him to let him know she was ready and scared.
Nick led the terrified and teary-eyed Natalie out and up the stairs. Manny had handcuffs with no teeth on his wrists, so he looked cuffed but wasn't cuffed. What few trusted men Rossi had left were in this building and none else, maybe 3 or 4 total. Nick had played two cards to perfection so far. The entire way, Natalie sobbed, and Charlie felt genuine sorrow for her friend.
"Who are you?!" the guard by the one apartment door demanded.
"Toreno, a made man unlike you!" Nick said with confidence despite being much shorter.
"And these?"
"Manny Napolitano and his daughter, brought to me by Napolitano's son. Boy sees the prize if he turns in his dad and sister," Nick explained succinctly.
"Wait a moment," the man opened the door, "Toreno with prisoners. Go in," he motioned.
Nick, Charlie, and Michael led their captives into the apartment. There, in the bedroom, on a chair at a table, sat Riccardo Rossi in a fine grey Italian suit with a fedora. He looked fresh out of a 1940s gangster movie, but then again so did Manny.
"So, my old friend Manny and his daughter. It's a pleasure to end your lives. Your daughter is beautiful, and she's good in bed too!" Rossi spoke in his emotionless and cold tone.
"AUGH!" she started crying at the way he boasted of his crimes, but a glance from Nick told her it was time.
"Well, it was in my best interest to give her to you," Nick said, "So you could die!"
Natalie in one motion snapped the zip ties on her wrists and attacked one guard. Manny dropped the cuffs and grabbed his gun and headed out for the hall where the one guard was. Charlie attacked the guard in the kitchen, and Nick aimed at the other guard in the room. When all the guards were dead, Nick noticed something: Rossi was gone! Natalie immediately threw off her gag and ran for the window: the fire escape!
"Nick, Manny.... go up the stairs inside! Charlie, go find another fire escape on the other side of the building. Get Frank to follow!"
As soon as Natalie was on the fire escape, she saw Emily charging up the stairs toward her. Natalie took aim at Rossi, but her bullet bounced off as she took the stairs not two, nor, but five at a time! Emily was bounding in threes and fours with energy even! This was their fight now! As they ran together, Natalie ahead, suddenly the stairs fell apart in a bang! A bomb! Natalie jumped and and grabbed the next landing with dear life, and Emily grabbed her legs.
"Natalie! Do something!" Emily shrieked.
At the same time, Charlie was climbing the other stairs, and Frank had indeed received her SOS. Jessica and Fix-It had the exits covered should Rossi try to go down and out that way. No matter what, he was a dead man. Charlie would do everything to make sure Natalie alone loaded the man with bullets. She brought zipties with her just for the occasion.
"NATALIE! I'm slipping!" Emily started crying.
"I'm working on it!" Natalie started climbing onto the stair, but then she felt a weight loosen beneath her!
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Emily shrieked.
Natalie wouldn't look down and started crying very different tears! Rossi would pay for this too! Emily had given her life to help her cousin in this battle, and never would Natalie ever forget the sacrifice her friend had made. She was all too happy to help and sure they would win even though she was still scared to the very end.
"It's two of us against one of you!" Manny shouted as Rossi reached the top.
"GET OVER HERE!" Nick ordered.
"Make it three!" Charlie said as she came around having heard the shriek, "Get down on the ground right there!"
"F-CK!" the murderous mobster shouted with no choice as he started walking over.
"F-CK YOU!" Charlie kneecapped him! "That's for Emily!"
"GOD!" he yelled in pain.
Charlie didn't care about the blood and severely zipped the man up in a dozen places just as Natalie came up. Natalie tried to run over but couldn't, and her tears of sorrow told Charlie something terrible had indeed happened. Instead, their leader hobbled over to join the others who were circled around Riccardo Rossi.
"Told you I would kill you! But you killed my best friend you piece of sh-t!"
Natalie let out most of a magazine into Rossi's crotch area before moving up to his torso and head. A second round ensured he was annihilated. She said nothing more before she walked down the interior stairs. They had won, but she had, for all intents and purposes lost even as the sound of an ambulance approached, probably called by Fix-It or Felicia.
"I'm sorry, Natalie," Frank said, and she saw he was crying.
Natalie turned and looked at the man. In a rare moment of visible compassion, he held his arms out for a hug. Natalie started sobbing uncontrollably, and finally Frank just carried her down the stairs. He had been in this fight from the beginning to the end and had been there even before that to know how special Emily and Natalie were to each other, and he had also been witness in the hotel when Emily confessed her feelings.
Charlie refused to believe Emily was dead. Perhaps, just perhaps, she was alive, and maybe that ambulance wasn't scraping a corpse off the ground? She retained hope in spite of it all. Nevertheless, she comforted Natalie, and secretly she wasn't even ready to say goodbye to the kindest person any of them knew.
When they reached the ground level, Natalie immediately went to the backside where Emily was indeed being loaded into an ambulance, and to her shock she saw something... Emily's lungs move. Alone in the ambulance besides paramedics who all had that distinctive air the ones in Ohio did, she gave Emily a kiss on the forehead and left. Hope filled her with the possibility that her friend wouldn't die after all!
"Well?!" Charlie asked.
"She's breathing. Oh, look who it is," Natalie spoke in a tired tone as a car parked next to the van.
"Manny... my brother," Agent Romano said.
"Romano," Manny shook his hand.
"Come, I have a special plane to take us back west..."
"What about Emily!?" Natalie started with the tears again, "I can't leave her behind!"
"Don't worry. We'll make provisions for her to travel as well. If her brain isn't injured, we should be able to..."
"PLEASE!"
Natalie felt pathetic, and after much pushing and begging Romano Napolitano, her mysterious uncle, agreed to let them go to the hospital first. Christmas Eve saw the awaited plane take all except Fix-It, Frank, and Felicia to Boise. Instead, the Catanzaro's went to Buffalo to reunite with their elderly parents, and Fix-It went home as well.
But more than that, Natalie had a battered and severely injured Emily on the plane with her, and Natalie never left her side during the trip despite the protests of the medical team that their government ally sent with them. Natalie didn't even complain about her own injuries despite their severity, and she was indeed quite weak from all that had happened.
"Did we win?" Emily asked when she finally opened her eyes on the plane.
"Yes, we did," Natalie said.
"I thought I felt that in the ambulance," her friend smiled and said no more.
When the plane landed, Emily was immediately transported to another hospital and given the rough news: she was now a permanent paraplegic. Now Natalie was set to face even harder battles: her mother, Emily's parents, and PTSD. All on Christmas Eve did these come down.
"Hey, Mom," Natalie called her mother, "It was a great trip. I'm still coming to your place in the morning. Yesss. I know. Say, Mom, is it all right if I bring a friend for breakfast? Awesome. Yes, I'll check, but I'm still planning to spend the afternoon at Bryce's. I know... I love you too."
"Natalie," Emily said softly, "You need to take care of yourself as well."
"Ems... I'm so sorry this happened. I'm going to do everything I can to help you get better."
"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have abandoned my post," she insisted.
"Don't worry. I promise day after Christmas I will be in this bed right next to you, OK?"
"Agent... Ummm... Uncle, Romano?" Emily asked.
"I can get you anything you need, and don't worry about medical expenses," he assured them.
Once they were alone, Natalie sat down and took off her bandana and put her face in her hands. She looked up to see Emily smiling at her, and her roommate looked unnatural in a hospital gown, unable to move. How was it fair for such a kindly young woman, who cared so much for others, who had her interests, to end up like this?
Natalie gave her a pat on the wrist and said she was going to the next room. In there was her sister and her husband, Nate, and Natalie stood there nervously playing with the bandana just as she did just a few days prior also while talking to Jessica.
"How was the extraction?" Natalie asked her younger sister.
"Easy. I wasn't even knocked out even though it was messy."
"I can't spend Christmas here. But I..."
Natalie paused. She thought again about all that had occurred, and she got on her hands and knees sobbing on the floor while Jessica comforted her. Was she permanently broken by all this? Or was her recovery just different from the other's?
"Natalie, you need to be..."
"NO! I have to be with my mother!"
Natalie stormed out of the hospital and ignored everyone and everything. She was beyond broken, it seemed; was she destroyed? Or was her pride was getting the best of her. What a great impression she made on her brother-in-law. That pride would soon be quashed though.
Charlie, who had gone back to the apartment to freshen up, was shocked to see Natalie stumble into the apartment. Never before had her friend seemed so weak, and Charlie couldn't bear the sight. She helped Natalie into her bed and promised to help her. "I swear I won't let you down."
Charlie wasn't going to let Natalie down either.
Chapter 27: Victorious
"Ick oreno ooh ucking eeth of thit!" Natalie let out into the ball gag.
Natalie started crying. She didn't care about his plan at all. She hated this so much and figured that he also wanted to r-pe her. Maybe this was his plan... Get to this point so he could kill her and take over the Rossi mafia. Whatever it was, she was beyond done with being tied up.
"Calm down, guidette. I got you, baby," Charlie said.
"Ugh!" Natalie just kept crying.
Natalie knew Nick's idea had merit, but she didn't want to be tied up. At all! Period! Under any circumstances! Instead, the trauma of the past week kicked in. She was in that house or truck or cell again... experiencing those nightmares as if anew. She let out a blood curdling shriek.
Emily was in pieces as well. She knew exactly how Natalie felt and was similarly bent out of shape. There was no way she would allow this, and she was willing to kill Nick to prevent Natalie from getting hurt. She too was struggling and yelling.
Jessica had argued with Nick about this and couldn't believe he had the audacity to do it. If it wasn't for her broken arm, Nick would possibly be dead at the moment, and he was more than aware of it. She didn't like this plan, and she worried something terrible was going to happen to one or more of them as a result.
Charlie had sadly helped Nick hatch the plan. She didn't realize that Natalie would react in this way, and she saw no reason for Nick to bludgeon an already severely injured Natalie. She was more worried about what would happen if something went wrong with the plan. For Charlie, she felt that never being forgiven was warranted should something directly go awry as a result of the plan.
Frank felt the plan was stupid and told them all as much, but suddenly on this occasion he was shot down. That to some was automatically unnerving. Putting Natalie into a situation where she was helpless and only one more injury away from dying was absolutely foolish, in his own opinion of the situation.
Manny didn't want to risk his daughter, but he knew Natalie and himself were the two biggest fish in this outfit. Rossi needed both of them dead to have any hope of seeing the New Year. He worried though that his oldest child would be dead before he got to know her... or that he would be dead and his children would have no father.
"GUUUUUH! Huh huh HUHHHHH!" she continued sobbing while Nick recorded her. He then sent the video to Rossi courtesy Manny's connection and asked to meet because "it's the easiest way for you to live." Natalie didn't even notice because she was no longer in this world although she was still a part of it.
Emily was also terribly upset, but she knew she was outnumbered and begged for release. She tried to comfort Natalie, but the gigantic girl wasn't listening to anything.
It didn't seem possible, but here they all were... It was time for the boss fight if you will. The meeting place Rossi demanded was an old, possibly abandoned, apartment building, and in no time, two days before Christmas, here they were. Frank studied the premises and laid out a plan based upon Fix-It and Jessica's observations. This time, Frank's advice was taken much more seriously, and that gave him confidence that Nick's plan would work as well.
Fix-It and Emily would watch the back. Frank and Jessica would watch the front. Nick, Charlie, and Michael would go inside with Natalie and Manny as their prisoners. Felicia would stay at the van, and she promised to do all she could to help. The plan was finalized. Natalie wasn't in any state to listen to the regret of the rest.
The team was set to meet Napolitano on the third floor, but on the second floor Nick motioned to an apartment and told the others to wait. He needed three minutes to talk sense into Natalie. He took Natalie into the back room of the dilapidated building and removed her gag. Before she could do anything, he was kissing her lips.
"Stop!" she broke away.
"Natalie, trust me! Please! You let me have sex with you, and you think I'd suddenly turn on you?!" he asked.
"Yes! I don't want to die like this! I'd rather I had killed myself or gotten shot in Philly!" she cried.
"NO! Listen. I'm going to cut the zip on your legs and elbows now. Just cooperate, please?" he tried to reason with her as he did so.
"Nick... if you mean it... kiss me again."
"Like this?" he repeated the kiss, but slower and more meaningful, because she wanted a good one in case she did die.
"What's your plan?"
"You can bust this last ziptie on your own. I'm trying to make you upset to make it seem more credible, OK?" his plan made sense.
"OK... OK...," she panted, "Do what you must, but no d-cks!"
"All right!"
Natalie was on board with his plan, but she was genuinely upset to be bound and gagged as the ball gag was again in her mouth. Nick began fondling her breasts and crotch and kissed her all over even while she resisted. She started crying again, but she nodded to him to let him know she was ready and scared.
Nick led the terrified and teary-eyed Natalie out and up the stairs. Manny had handcuffs with no teeth on his wrists, so he looked cuffed but wasn't cuffed. What few trusted men Rossi had left were in this building and none else, maybe 3 or 4 total. Nick had played two cards to perfection so far. The entire way, Natalie sobbed, and Charlie felt genuine sorrow for her friend.
"Who are you?!" the guard by the one apartment door demanded.
"Toreno, a made man unlike you!" Nick said with confidence despite being much shorter.
"And these?"
"Manny Napolitano and his daughter, brought to me by Napolitano's son. Boy sees the prize if he turns in his dad and sister," Nick explained succinctly.
"Wait a moment," the man opened the door, "Toreno with prisoners. Go in," he motioned.
Nick, Charlie, and Michael led their captives into the apartment. There, in the bedroom, on a chair at a table, sat Riccardo Rossi in a fine grey Italian suit with a fedora. He looked fresh out of a 1940s gangster movie, but then again so did Manny.
"So, my old friend Manny and his daughter. It's a pleasure to end your lives. Your daughter is beautiful, and she's good in bed too!" Rossi spoke in his emotionless and cold tone.
"AUGH!" she started crying at the way he boasted of his crimes, but a glance from Nick told her it was time.
"Well, it was in my best interest to give her to you," Nick said, "So you could die!"
Natalie in one motion snapped the zip ties on her wrists and attacked one guard. Manny dropped the cuffs and grabbed his gun and headed out for the hall where the one guard was. Charlie attacked the guard in the kitchen, and Nick aimed at the other guard in the room. When all the guards were dead, Nick noticed something: Rossi was gone! Natalie immediately threw off her gag and ran for the window: the fire escape!
"Nick, Manny.... go up the stairs inside! Charlie, go find another fire escape on the other side of the building. Get Frank to follow!"
As soon as Natalie was on the fire escape, she saw Emily charging up the stairs toward her. Natalie took aim at Rossi, but her bullet bounced off as she took the stairs not two, nor, but five at a time! Emily was bounding in threes and fours with energy even! This was their fight now! As they ran together, Natalie ahead, suddenly the stairs fell apart in a bang! A bomb! Natalie jumped and and grabbed the next landing with dear life, and Emily grabbed her legs.
"Natalie! Do something!" Emily shrieked.
At the same time, Charlie was climbing the other stairs, and Frank had indeed received her SOS. Jessica and Fix-It had the exits covered should Rossi try to go down and out that way. No matter what, he was a dead man. Charlie would do everything to make sure Natalie alone loaded the man with bullets. She brought zipties with her just for the occasion.
"NATALIE! I'm slipping!" Emily started crying.
"I'm working on it!" Natalie started climbing onto the stair, but then she felt a weight loosen beneath her!
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Emily shrieked.
Natalie wouldn't look down and started crying very different tears! Rossi would pay for this too! Emily had given her life to help her cousin in this battle, and never would Natalie ever forget the sacrifice her friend had made. She was all too happy to help and sure they would win even though she was still scared to the very end.
"It's two of us against one of you!" Manny shouted as Rossi reached the top.
"GET OVER HERE!" Nick ordered.
"Make it three!" Charlie said as she came around having heard the shriek, "Get down on the ground right there!"
"F-CK!" the murderous mobster shouted with no choice as he started walking over.
"F-CK YOU!" Charlie kneecapped him! "That's for Emily!"
"GOD!" he yelled in pain.
Charlie didn't care about the blood and severely zipped the man up in a dozen places just as Natalie came up. Natalie tried to run over but couldn't, and her tears of sorrow told Charlie something terrible had indeed happened. Instead, their leader hobbled over to join the others who were circled around Riccardo Rossi.
"Told you I would kill you! But you killed my best friend you piece of sh-t!"
Natalie let out most of a magazine into Rossi's crotch area before moving up to his torso and head. A second round ensured he was annihilated. She said nothing more before she walked down the interior stairs. They had won, but she had, for all intents and purposes lost even as the sound of an ambulance approached, probably called by Fix-It or Felicia.
"I'm sorry, Natalie," Frank said, and she saw he was crying.
Natalie turned and looked at the man. In a rare moment of visible compassion, he held his arms out for a hug. Natalie started sobbing uncontrollably, and finally Frank just carried her down the stairs. He had been in this fight from the beginning to the end and had been there even before that to know how special Emily and Natalie were to each other, and he had also been witness in the hotel when Emily confessed her feelings.
Charlie refused to believe Emily was dead. Perhaps, just perhaps, she was alive, and maybe that ambulance wasn't scraping a corpse off the ground? She retained hope in spite of it all. Nevertheless, she comforted Natalie, and secretly she wasn't even ready to say goodbye to the kindest person any of them knew.
When they reached the ground level, Natalie immediately went to the backside where Emily was indeed being loaded into an ambulance, and to her shock she saw something... Emily's lungs move. Alone in the ambulance besides paramedics who all had that distinctive air the ones in Ohio did, she gave Emily a kiss on the forehead and left. Hope filled her with the possibility that her friend wouldn't die after all!
"Well?!" Charlie asked.
"She's breathing. Oh, look who it is," Natalie spoke in a tired tone as a car parked next to the van.
"Manny... my brother," Agent Romano said.
"Romano," Manny shook his hand.
"Come, I have a special plane to take us back west..."
"What about Emily!?" Natalie started with the tears again, "I can't leave her behind!"
"Don't worry. We'll make provisions for her to travel as well. If her brain isn't injured, we should be able to..."
"PLEASE!"
Natalie felt pathetic, and after much pushing and begging Romano Napolitano, her mysterious uncle, agreed to let them go to the hospital first. Christmas Eve saw the awaited plane take all except Fix-It, Frank, and Felicia to Boise. Instead, the Catanzaro's went to Buffalo to reunite with their elderly parents, and Fix-It went home as well.
But more than that, Natalie had a battered and severely injured Emily on the plane with her, and Natalie never left her side during the trip despite the protests of the medical team that their government ally sent with them. Natalie didn't even complain about her own injuries despite their severity, and she was indeed quite weak from all that had happened.
"Did we win?" Emily asked when she finally opened her eyes on the plane.
"Yes, we did," Natalie said.
"I thought I felt that in the ambulance," her friend smiled and said no more.
When the plane landed, Emily was immediately transported to another hospital and given the rough news: she was now a permanent paraplegic. Now Natalie was set to face even harder battles: her mother, Emily's parents, and PTSD. All on Christmas Eve did these come down.
"Hey, Mom," Natalie called her mother, "It was a great trip. I'm still coming to your place in the morning. Yesss. I know. Say, Mom, is it all right if I bring a friend for breakfast? Awesome. Yes, I'll check, but I'm still planning to spend the afternoon at Bryce's. I know... I love you too."
"Natalie," Emily said softly, "You need to take care of yourself as well."
"Ems... I'm so sorry this happened. I'm going to do everything I can to help you get better."
"It's not your fault. I shouldn't have abandoned my post," she insisted.
"Don't worry. I promise day after Christmas I will be in this bed right next to you, OK?"
"Agent... Ummm... Uncle, Romano?" Emily asked.
"I can get you anything you need, and don't worry about medical expenses," he assured them.
Once they were alone, Natalie sat down and took off her bandana and put her face in her hands. She looked up to see Emily smiling at her, and her roommate looked unnatural in a hospital gown, unable to move. How was it fair for such a kindly young woman, who cared so much for others, who had her interests, to end up like this?
Natalie gave her a pat on the wrist and said she was going to the next room. In there was her sister and her husband, Nate, and Natalie stood there nervously playing with the bandana just as she did just a few days prior also while talking to Jessica.
"How was the extraction?" Natalie asked her younger sister.
"Easy. I wasn't even knocked out even though it was messy."
"I can't spend Christmas here. But I..."
Natalie paused. She thought again about all that had occurred, and she got on her hands and knees sobbing on the floor while Jessica comforted her. Was she permanently broken by all this? Or was her recovery just different from the other's?
"Natalie, you need to be..."
"NO! I have to be with my mother!"
Natalie stormed out of the hospital and ignored everyone and everything. She was beyond broken, it seemed; was she destroyed? Or was her pride was getting the best of her. What a great impression she made on her brother-in-law. That pride would soon be quashed though.
Charlie, who had gone back to the apartment to freshen up, was shocked to see Natalie stumble into the apartment. Never before had her friend seemed so weak, and Charlie couldn't bear the sight. She helped Natalie into her bed and promised to help her. "I swear I won't let you down."
Charlie wasn't going to let Natalie down either.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
[mention]Caesar73[/mention] [mention]GreyLord[/mention] [mention]Mr Underheel[/mention]
Our tale comes to an end now. Thank you to all who have followed along with Natalie's story after this time.
Chapter 28: Conclusion
"GET OFFF MEEEEEEEE!" Natalie shrieked into the darkness around 3AM.
"Natalie?" Charlie woke up.
"Stop it! QUIT IT! GET YOUR D-CK OUT OF THERE!" Natalie yelled again.
Charlie was glad she had moved all the few remaining weapons into her own bedroom. It was inevitable that Natalie would go absolutely apesh-t during the night, even in the quiet of her home. Charlie ran into the room and immediately spoke.
"Natalie, it's Charlie! Charlie!"
"Charlie, gimme a gun! Where is that f-cking Rossi?" she asked in a deranged manner.
"Snap out of it!" Charlie couldn't take it and started crying while hugging Natalie.
"What happened?" Natalie asked in a feeble manner.
"You're home, and no one will hurt you anymore. Let's go back to bed."
"No! I'm safer like this."
Charlie accepted. Natalie spilled her guts to Charlie in a way she hadn't to Emily and Jessica. She told Charlie all her emotions more than the actual events. She barely felt like a person after all this and nothing at all like a person.
"Happy birthday, and Merry Christmas," Charlie said with a smile to be positive.
"Thanks. I have to get ready to pick up... Manny."
That skirt Emily had picked out before was paired with leggings as Emily's Christmas outfit along with, of course, a long-sleeve t-shirt. But now it was soft and clean, and Natalie even put her coat and scarf in the dryer before putting them on and beginning the walk to the hospital. She was shocked to find him outside already and in a brand new black Kia!
"OMG! Manny, where did you get this?!"
"A gift from everyone as a thank you. Charlie has a blue one. Emily will get something set up too."
"Holy cow! Thank you both, Manny and Romano!" Charlie gasped.
It was even a more humble little car, just like Natalie liked. She sat down in the driver's seat and adjusted everything until she was comfortable. Pain seared through her body from the bullets, but she toughed it out. Her pride would cause trouble again.
"Let's go visit Ems first, hmmm?" she turned to him.
"Natalie... Will you ever accept me as your dad? You accepted Jessica and Michael, but not me."
"You... spent a decade searching for me, but it will take more time," she admitted, "But you still boned my mother to make me, and you are trying to reform your life. Be patient."
It's easier to accept that you're mother had other children and cruelly abandoned them than it is to accept that you have a biological father and aren't just a common r-pe baby. So many things still were hard to accept.
It was a very difficult visit with Emily on account of the presence of the girl's parents. How do you tell your roommate's parents that their only child is permanently paralyzed as a result of the life they were trying to keep her from by moving out here? Her mother understood the ramifications of what had happened, but her father was so angry he threw Natalie out of the room. Natalie would get the last "laugh" there.
Visiting Jessica was easy though. The young woman was so happy to see her sister and father and greeted them warmly. Talking to Jessica eased the pain of visiting the adjoining room. On this high note, Natalie went home...
"Merry Christmas, Mom!" Natalie entered joyfully.
"Happy birthday, baby!" her mother hugged her daughter, with the former picking up the latter.
"So good to be home!"
"How was your trip?" her mother asked.
"Awful, actually, but worth it. I discovered some people named Michael, Jessica, Romano, and Emanuel. And together with some other people... We put an entire mafia out of business... Isn't that right, Man... ummm... bio Dad?"
"It sure is," her father stepped into the house.
"Why did you bring that home?!" her mother cried out in rage.
"Why did you lie to me?! I have a baby brother and sister, and you separated us! And they've lived their entire lives heartbroken because they missed their big sister and were abandoned by their mother! I can handle having a brother and a sister and a birth father, but you lied to me."
"What happened to you on this trip?" her mother asked without facing her daughter.
Natalie felt like a broken record, so she gave her mother an abbreviated version of the events and hid the worst details. She mentioned the government plot and how they saved a girl who had been kidnapped to use as a sex toy and Emily's paralysis and the wounds and how she'd been kidnapped multiple times.
"I don't expect you two to be friends. I just want you both to accept that, Mom, I still love you, but I need both of you to accept that I want to try loving him too. I'm hurt by what both of you did, but I'm willing to forgive you both. And Dad is still Dad even if he's really my step-dad because I know he loves me, and I love him. Now, can we please just sit around the tree like we planned on doing?"
Natalie was somehow more mature yet the same daughter as before, but now the cat was out of the bag. Mr. Napolitano excused himself and waited in the car for the presents and hugs and gratitudes to be finished before he came back in. After breakfast, Natalie went home to spend a little time with her father and then they were at Bryce's where Natalie suddenly felt pride in introducing her father.
Somewhere along the line, Natalie sprang a leak and started bleeding. She never noticed really because of the other emotions. It felt so good to feel Bryce's hands again, and she felt shame for cheating on him and tearfully admitted as much when she told him what had happened.
When telling the story, Natalie changed her focus. For her mother, Natalie focused on the importance to the nation and the safety of her loved ones; for Emily's parents, the narration focused on Emily's heroics and on taking the steps necessary to reunite the Napolitano siblings in a safe way; for Bryce, it was more about being a bad-ss government agent.
"Dad... I... I don't feel so good," she said to Manny while talking to Bryce.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know," she kept pacing and suddenly collapsed.
When Natalie opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed with her parents, her father, Charlie, and Bryce all around her. She looked to her right and pumped her fist a little when she saw Emily next to her. It didn't take long to explain that she was so anemic from blood loss that her blood pressure had dropped so low she had nearly died. Transfusions were necessary before the bullets could be removed.
Natalie's pride came at a price; her leg was now destroyed so badly from not being treated quickly that she would limp for the rest of her life. Bright side was that her backside wounds were healing well. She had waved playfully when wheeled to the OR, and Emily waved as playfully when Natalie regained consciousness.
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A week later, with crutches, Natalie was "walking" back into her apartment to sit down and spend a day applying for new jobs since her old one was gone for good. She didn't realize then where her life was about to take her, though even as she tapped away at the computer. That was until she got a personal email from "Uncle Romano."
Natalie,
You and friends suffered more for your country than most agents, servicemen, and spies suffer in 30 year of service. I noticed in your files that you and Emily both quit college. If you, Emily, or Charlie want to go, we'll take care of everything and are even registering all of your team for the same benefits our men get upon retirement; we'll cover your rent until your checks start coming in, but don't think you'll make a living on those. Your father told me about the night terrors, and if you call the Boise VA Clinic they will take care of you and make sure you get proper treatment. PTSD and trauma are not things we joke about.
Give me a call when you get this.
Romano
"Let's go visit Emily. Come on!" Natalie said to Charlie and refused to give an explanation.
At the hospital, Emily was overjoyed to see her friends after she had finished giving a smooch to Will. It was good to see that she had renewed her relationship with her boyfriend, and she was adjusting to the reality that she would never walk again. The most difficult part was knowing that the dream of becoming a nurse was gone forever.
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March 23, exactly three months after her paralysis, Emily was surprised when Natalie pulled the car up in front of a new rental home, and she immediately recognized it as the other half of Jessica's duplex complete with (temporary) wheelchair ramps now installed so she could get inside! She literally cried with happiness that her family and friends had done this for her so that their "Terrible Trio" could continue to be united. She knew for sure that she was more than just loved by these people.
Then she was wheeled inside to find her parents, her boyfriend, Charlie, and Jessica inside for a surprise "Welcome home" party! It was more than that, the home was decorated for the Christmas they'd never had complete with the presents under the tree, the presents she and her loved ones were going to give to each other but never got to do so.
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Three days later, when Natalie returned from a day of psychotherapy, visiting her parents, visiting her father, and going to the grocery store, she encountered a very happy Emily. There was something different about her; actually, there wasn't. After everything, while Natalie would wake up screaming in the night and randomly have nervous breakdowns, Emily was the same girl, but today something added spring to her wheelchair axles.
"You have no freaking clue how weird it feels to be paralyzed and have a dude inside you," Emily suddenly said with a smile.
"Wait, what?!" Natalie turned with a dropped jaw.
"Can't feel his hand squeezing your thigh, but I sure felt his d-ck! Hee-hee!" came back with a giggle.
"You and Will? That sounds like a strange sensation. I bet you're back to bondage fantasies too, right?"
"I am," was all Emily said before she wheeled herself out of the room.
The next night, Natalie, dressed in all black--leggings, long-sleeve t-shirt, boots, and bandana-- seduced her dear Bryce. Jealousy of Emily was what it was. It was hard to permit him to do so, but when she did it felt so good. She was the mysterious woman of adventure, the elegant basketball player, and the beautiful girlfriend still. She knew she had a winner in him, and she made the first step in feeling that she had control of herself again.
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"Natalie, I know I'm a wheelchair cripple, but would you... tie me up? I know it sounds awful, but I had Jessica hold onto all that stuff for me," Emily asked sheepishly on a fine summer day.
"I...," Natalie froze up.
Had Emily really asked that? Was she so short-sighted to forget what had happened in December? Jessica had asked a similar question in April, and Natalie had refused. Now Emily was asking too? But... she wasn't the one being tied up; it was her cousin and sister who were. She had to try as a way of moving on from the past.
"I'll do it. I'll ask Jess if she wants to come over as well," Natalie said in a weak tone.
Natalie tied up both girls as they wished and gagged them both upon request. She walked away for a few minutes because it was too painful to see Emily unable to move her legs even if she wanted to do so. The girl had convinced Natalie to bind her legs anyway, but it was a difficult sight. In the end, Natalie was crying from this first post-adventure bondage.
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"Natalie, may I?" Emily asked one night a month later.
"May you what?" Natalie asked in what was now her usual tired manner.
Natalie was always mentally exhausted these days. While she had a job now to provide more support on top of her "retirement," it wasn't a great life as she and Emily prepared to restart their college phase. She was depressed and still found the same escape in her video games, but now if Charlie was watching the commentary was oftentimes much more serious or insightful. The major difference in day-to-day life was that, at least once a week, Natalie would either go to bed very early or wake up as late as possible. Depression sucks.
When walking around town, Natalie always maintained high vigilance and would frequently check all sides to make sure she was really alone. More than once Charlie or Emily had come home to find Natalie sitting on the couch with a weapon in her hands until, finally, Charlie decided to buy a gun safe and kept the combo from Natalie. She frequently worried about being kidnapped and either sexually or physically assaulted.
There were positive signs though. She still smiled and made little jokes and exchanged her private mood outfit messages with Emily. She had her friends and Bryce and her parents and her father, now a much a more honest restaurant manager, but something was still wrong. The adventure had taken the worst toll on her, but she showed positive signs. Trauma and PTSD don't go away, but the pain of the memories can sometimes be eased until you accept it and don't let it affect you.
"May I tie you up?" Emily asked cautiously.
"OK," Natalie said without looking at her then turned to her cousin and smiled, "All right, Ems. I'll try."
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"You're a fine young lady," Fix-It remarked.
"Shut up, get inside, and meet my parents," Charlie said to him.
Charlie won. Fix-It had chosen to retire from government work and had moved to Boise to open a more honest custom car shop. It was his hands, and some government funding, that provided a car that Emily could drive. It was also his own hands that drove himself and his new girlfriend to visit her family.
More than anything else, Charlie had a man she loved and whom her parents and grandparents loved too. Charlie had become the pride of the Sullivan family, and she strove to not let the accolades go to her head. Aside from some muscle damage in her arm, she hadn't sustained any permanent injury or any psychiatric harm, and neither had Fix-It. Now, she was Fix-It's assistant in his new business and loving it and him.
The highlight of June was being there for her younger brother's high school graduation. Family life was perfect for her, just like it was in the days before Jerome. The time on the cross-country trip of death had made her appreciate just blessed she was to have a family like this, and she knew that they felt the same of her. Now, they all had new blessing in the form of Fix-It.
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Frank and Felicia had their own special reunion on Christmas Day in Buffalo. Their parents were overjoyed to see the two children they thought were dead. After such an incredible time in Buffalo, Frank decided to relocate back to his home city even as a widower in his 40s. For the first time since he had left, he also got to "visit" his late wife.
Frank soon got a job, much like Manny Napolitano, as a more honest restaurant manager, but his was an IHOP. He liked to joke that he went from "selling fake Italian dinner sh-t to selling fake American breakfast sh-t." Felicia returned to her old job with much happiness, and sister moved in with brother in a small house just down the road from where their parents lived.
Nick was living the dream now as Fix-It's assistant. Being a grease monkey was the life he loved most, and now he didn't have any crime worries. OK, not true. Nick was an inveterate mobster and still did things on the side, but these happened outside the walls of Fix-It's business. He never forgot the friendships he made, though.
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"Get it off! Get it off!" Natalie started about 5 seconds after the handcuffs clicked, "Please, take them off, Emily!"
"All right, all right! I will!" Emily took them off.
"Well, so much for that," Natalie walked away.
"Where you going?" the blonde watched her friend.
"To my room!" a teary eyed Natalie responded.
This was one trigger that wasn't going away; now Emily needed to apologize. That was her best friend, her cousin, and her roommate. Not to be deterred, Emily wheeled herself to Natalie's room and started rubbing Natalie's back.
"We love you, Nats. I'm sorry that I upset you."
Not all was normal, but at least Natalie, Emily, and Charlie had their lives on the right track. In spite of the traumas, life was still as good as before; it just had new challenges to face. Natalie forced a smile for Emily and eventually sat up. Charlie walked in to see how Natalie was as well.
"Group hug, girls. Natalie needs it," Charlie suggested it so they did, and it felt so good.
Natalie wasn't broken or destroyed. It was just about learning to accept life and move on now. She had so much to live for, and perhaps there was someone she hadn't even yet met whose life she would transform! A new chance at being a friend, at being a sister, at being a cousin, at being so many things. Natalie realized that life... was beautiful. With these girls in each other's life, they could overcome anything!
"I love you two so much!" Natalie said and gave each a kiss on the cheek.
How true her words were.
Our tale comes to an end now. Thank you to all who have followed along with Natalie's story after this time.
Chapter 28: Conclusion
"GET OFFF MEEEEEEEE!" Natalie shrieked into the darkness around 3AM.
"Natalie?" Charlie woke up.
"Stop it! QUIT IT! GET YOUR D-CK OUT OF THERE!" Natalie yelled again.
Charlie was glad she had moved all the few remaining weapons into her own bedroom. It was inevitable that Natalie would go absolutely apesh-t during the night, even in the quiet of her home. Charlie ran into the room and immediately spoke.
"Natalie, it's Charlie! Charlie!"
"Charlie, gimme a gun! Where is that f-cking Rossi?" she asked in a deranged manner.
"Snap out of it!" Charlie couldn't take it and started crying while hugging Natalie.
"What happened?" Natalie asked in a feeble manner.
"You're home, and no one will hurt you anymore. Let's go back to bed."
"No! I'm safer like this."
Charlie accepted. Natalie spilled her guts to Charlie in a way she hadn't to Emily and Jessica. She told Charlie all her emotions more than the actual events. She barely felt like a person after all this and nothing at all like a person.
"Happy birthday, and Merry Christmas," Charlie said with a smile to be positive.
"Thanks. I have to get ready to pick up... Manny."
That skirt Emily had picked out before was paired with leggings as Emily's Christmas outfit along with, of course, a long-sleeve t-shirt. But now it was soft and clean, and Natalie even put her coat and scarf in the dryer before putting them on and beginning the walk to the hospital. She was shocked to find him outside already and in a brand new black Kia!
"OMG! Manny, where did you get this?!"
"A gift from everyone as a thank you. Charlie has a blue one. Emily will get something set up too."
"Holy cow! Thank you both, Manny and Romano!" Charlie gasped.
It was even a more humble little car, just like Natalie liked. She sat down in the driver's seat and adjusted everything until she was comfortable. Pain seared through her body from the bullets, but she toughed it out. Her pride would cause trouble again.
"Let's go visit Ems first, hmmm?" she turned to him.
"Natalie... Will you ever accept me as your dad? You accepted Jessica and Michael, but not me."
"You... spent a decade searching for me, but it will take more time," she admitted, "But you still boned my mother to make me, and you are trying to reform your life. Be patient."
It's easier to accept that you're mother had other children and cruelly abandoned them than it is to accept that you have a biological father and aren't just a common r-pe baby. So many things still were hard to accept.
It was a very difficult visit with Emily on account of the presence of the girl's parents. How do you tell your roommate's parents that their only child is permanently paralyzed as a result of the life they were trying to keep her from by moving out here? Her mother understood the ramifications of what had happened, but her father was so angry he threw Natalie out of the room. Natalie would get the last "laugh" there.
Visiting Jessica was easy though. The young woman was so happy to see her sister and father and greeted them warmly. Talking to Jessica eased the pain of visiting the adjoining room. On this high note, Natalie went home...
"Merry Christmas, Mom!" Natalie entered joyfully.
"Happy birthday, baby!" her mother hugged her daughter, with the former picking up the latter.
"So good to be home!"
"How was your trip?" her mother asked.
"Awful, actually, but worth it. I discovered some people named Michael, Jessica, Romano, and Emanuel. And together with some other people... We put an entire mafia out of business... Isn't that right, Man... ummm... bio Dad?"
"It sure is," her father stepped into the house.
"Why did you bring that home?!" her mother cried out in rage.
"Why did you lie to me?! I have a baby brother and sister, and you separated us! And they've lived their entire lives heartbroken because they missed their big sister and were abandoned by their mother! I can handle having a brother and a sister and a birth father, but you lied to me."
"What happened to you on this trip?" her mother asked without facing her daughter.
Natalie felt like a broken record, so she gave her mother an abbreviated version of the events and hid the worst details. She mentioned the government plot and how they saved a girl who had been kidnapped to use as a sex toy and Emily's paralysis and the wounds and how she'd been kidnapped multiple times.
"I don't expect you two to be friends. I just want you both to accept that, Mom, I still love you, but I need both of you to accept that I want to try loving him too. I'm hurt by what both of you did, but I'm willing to forgive you both. And Dad is still Dad even if he's really my step-dad because I know he loves me, and I love him. Now, can we please just sit around the tree like we planned on doing?"
Natalie was somehow more mature yet the same daughter as before, but now the cat was out of the bag. Mr. Napolitano excused himself and waited in the car for the presents and hugs and gratitudes to be finished before he came back in. After breakfast, Natalie went home to spend a little time with her father and then they were at Bryce's where Natalie suddenly felt pride in introducing her father.
Somewhere along the line, Natalie sprang a leak and started bleeding. She never noticed really because of the other emotions. It felt so good to feel Bryce's hands again, and she felt shame for cheating on him and tearfully admitted as much when she told him what had happened.
When telling the story, Natalie changed her focus. For her mother, Natalie focused on the importance to the nation and the safety of her loved ones; for Emily's parents, the narration focused on Emily's heroics and on taking the steps necessary to reunite the Napolitano siblings in a safe way; for Bryce, it was more about being a bad-ss government agent.
"Dad... I... I don't feel so good," she said to Manny while talking to Bryce.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"I don't know," she kept pacing and suddenly collapsed.
When Natalie opened her eyes, she was in a hospital bed with her parents, her father, Charlie, and Bryce all around her. She looked to her right and pumped her fist a little when she saw Emily next to her. It didn't take long to explain that she was so anemic from blood loss that her blood pressure had dropped so low she had nearly died. Transfusions were necessary before the bullets could be removed.
Natalie's pride came at a price; her leg was now destroyed so badly from not being treated quickly that she would limp for the rest of her life. Bright side was that her backside wounds were healing well. She had waved playfully when wheeled to the OR, and Emily waved as playfully when Natalie regained consciousness.
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A week later, with crutches, Natalie was "walking" back into her apartment to sit down and spend a day applying for new jobs since her old one was gone for good. She didn't realize then where her life was about to take her, though even as she tapped away at the computer. That was until she got a personal email from "Uncle Romano."
Natalie,
You and friends suffered more for your country than most agents, servicemen, and spies suffer in 30 year of service. I noticed in your files that you and Emily both quit college. If you, Emily, or Charlie want to go, we'll take care of everything and are even registering all of your team for the same benefits our men get upon retirement; we'll cover your rent until your checks start coming in, but don't think you'll make a living on those. Your father told me about the night terrors, and if you call the Boise VA Clinic they will take care of you and make sure you get proper treatment. PTSD and trauma are not things we joke about.
Give me a call when you get this.
Romano
"Let's go visit Emily. Come on!" Natalie said to Charlie and refused to give an explanation.
At the hospital, Emily was overjoyed to see her friends after she had finished giving a smooch to Will. It was good to see that she had renewed her relationship with her boyfriend, and she was adjusting to the reality that she would never walk again. The most difficult part was knowing that the dream of becoming a nurse was gone forever.
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March 23, exactly three months after her paralysis, Emily was surprised when Natalie pulled the car up in front of a new rental home, and she immediately recognized it as the other half of Jessica's duplex complete with (temporary) wheelchair ramps now installed so she could get inside! She literally cried with happiness that her family and friends had done this for her so that their "Terrible Trio" could continue to be united. She knew for sure that she was more than just loved by these people.
Then she was wheeled inside to find her parents, her boyfriend, Charlie, and Jessica inside for a surprise "Welcome home" party! It was more than that, the home was decorated for the Christmas they'd never had complete with the presents under the tree, the presents she and her loved ones were going to give to each other but never got to do so.
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Three days later, when Natalie returned from a day of psychotherapy, visiting her parents, visiting her father, and going to the grocery store, she encountered a very happy Emily. There was something different about her; actually, there wasn't. After everything, while Natalie would wake up screaming in the night and randomly have nervous breakdowns, Emily was the same girl, but today something added spring to her wheelchair axles.
"You have no freaking clue how weird it feels to be paralyzed and have a dude inside you," Emily suddenly said with a smile.
"Wait, what?!" Natalie turned with a dropped jaw.
"Can't feel his hand squeezing your thigh, but I sure felt his d-ck! Hee-hee!" came back with a giggle.
"You and Will? That sounds like a strange sensation. I bet you're back to bondage fantasies too, right?"
"I am," was all Emily said before she wheeled herself out of the room.
The next night, Natalie, dressed in all black--leggings, long-sleeve t-shirt, boots, and bandana-- seduced her dear Bryce. Jealousy of Emily was what it was. It was hard to permit him to do so, but when she did it felt so good. She was the mysterious woman of adventure, the elegant basketball player, and the beautiful girlfriend still. She knew she had a winner in him, and she made the first step in feeling that she had control of herself again.
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"Natalie, I know I'm a wheelchair cripple, but would you... tie me up? I know it sounds awful, but I had Jessica hold onto all that stuff for me," Emily asked sheepishly on a fine summer day.
"I...," Natalie froze up.
Had Emily really asked that? Was she so short-sighted to forget what had happened in December? Jessica had asked a similar question in April, and Natalie had refused. Now Emily was asking too? But... she wasn't the one being tied up; it was her cousin and sister who were. She had to try as a way of moving on from the past.
"I'll do it. I'll ask Jess if she wants to come over as well," Natalie said in a weak tone.
Natalie tied up both girls as they wished and gagged them both upon request. She walked away for a few minutes because it was too painful to see Emily unable to move her legs even if she wanted to do so. The girl had convinced Natalie to bind her legs anyway, but it was a difficult sight. In the end, Natalie was crying from this first post-adventure bondage.
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"Natalie, may I?" Emily asked one night a month later.
"May you what?" Natalie asked in what was now her usual tired manner.
Natalie was always mentally exhausted these days. While she had a job now to provide more support on top of her "retirement," it wasn't a great life as she and Emily prepared to restart their college phase. She was depressed and still found the same escape in her video games, but now if Charlie was watching the commentary was oftentimes much more serious or insightful. The major difference in day-to-day life was that, at least once a week, Natalie would either go to bed very early or wake up as late as possible. Depression sucks.
When walking around town, Natalie always maintained high vigilance and would frequently check all sides to make sure she was really alone. More than once Charlie or Emily had come home to find Natalie sitting on the couch with a weapon in her hands until, finally, Charlie decided to buy a gun safe and kept the combo from Natalie. She frequently worried about being kidnapped and either sexually or physically assaulted.
There were positive signs though. She still smiled and made little jokes and exchanged her private mood outfit messages with Emily. She had her friends and Bryce and her parents and her father, now a much a more honest restaurant manager, but something was still wrong. The adventure had taken the worst toll on her, but she showed positive signs. Trauma and PTSD don't go away, but the pain of the memories can sometimes be eased until you accept it and don't let it affect you.
"May I tie you up?" Emily asked cautiously.
"OK," Natalie said without looking at her then turned to her cousin and smiled, "All right, Ems. I'll try."
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"You're a fine young lady," Fix-It remarked.
"Shut up, get inside, and meet my parents," Charlie said to him.
Charlie won. Fix-It had chosen to retire from government work and had moved to Boise to open a more honest custom car shop. It was his hands, and some government funding, that provided a car that Emily could drive. It was also his own hands that drove himself and his new girlfriend to visit her family.
More than anything else, Charlie had a man she loved and whom her parents and grandparents loved too. Charlie had become the pride of the Sullivan family, and she strove to not let the accolades go to her head. Aside from some muscle damage in her arm, she hadn't sustained any permanent injury or any psychiatric harm, and neither had Fix-It. Now, she was Fix-It's assistant in his new business and loving it and him.
The highlight of June was being there for her younger brother's high school graduation. Family life was perfect for her, just like it was in the days before Jerome. The time on the cross-country trip of death had made her appreciate just blessed she was to have a family like this, and she knew that they felt the same of her. Now, they all had new blessing in the form of Fix-It.
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Frank and Felicia had their own special reunion on Christmas Day in Buffalo. Their parents were overjoyed to see the two children they thought were dead. After such an incredible time in Buffalo, Frank decided to relocate back to his home city even as a widower in his 40s. For the first time since he had left, he also got to "visit" his late wife.
Frank soon got a job, much like Manny Napolitano, as a more honest restaurant manager, but his was an IHOP. He liked to joke that he went from "selling fake Italian dinner sh-t to selling fake American breakfast sh-t." Felicia returned to her old job with much happiness, and sister moved in with brother in a small house just down the road from where their parents lived.
Nick was living the dream now as Fix-It's assistant. Being a grease monkey was the life he loved most, and now he didn't have any crime worries. OK, not true. Nick was an inveterate mobster and still did things on the side, but these happened outside the walls of Fix-It's business. He never forgot the friendships he made, though.
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"Get it off! Get it off!" Natalie started about 5 seconds after the handcuffs clicked, "Please, take them off, Emily!"
"All right, all right! I will!" Emily took them off.
"Well, so much for that," Natalie walked away.
"Where you going?" the blonde watched her friend.
"To my room!" a teary eyed Natalie responded.
This was one trigger that wasn't going away; now Emily needed to apologize. That was her best friend, her cousin, and her roommate. Not to be deterred, Emily wheeled herself to Natalie's room and started rubbing Natalie's back.
"We love you, Nats. I'm sorry that I upset you."
Not all was normal, but at least Natalie, Emily, and Charlie had their lives on the right track. In spite of the traumas, life was still as good as before; it just had new challenges to face. Natalie forced a smile for Emily and eventually sat up. Charlie walked in to see how Natalie was as well.
"Group hug, girls. Natalie needs it," Charlie suggested it so they did, and it felt so good.
Natalie wasn't broken or destroyed. It was just about learning to accept life and move on now. She had so much to live for, and perhaps there was someone she hadn't even yet met whose life she would transform! A new chance at being a friend, at being a sister, at being a cousin, at being so many things. Natalie realized that life... was beautiful. With these girls in each other's life, they could overcome anything!
"I love you two so much!" Natalie said and gave each a kiss on the cheek.
How true her words were.
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Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Writing this story was hard at times. How does one balance the bondage and action? How much violence is too much? Is this element too confusing? Did I leave a loose end? Does this make sense in context? Would Natalie really say this to Frank or only to someone closer to her heart?
There is a lot of pain and suffering in what is a dark tale with a difficult but positive ending: the girls all survive and love each other even more. There is so much more that I wish I had said, but I wish I hadn't said so much. I wish more details were provided in one, and I wish fewer were provided in another. Some periods flowed too slowly; and others were too harried.
After so many years, though, I am proud to say that I have completed the dramatic adventures of Natalie, Emily, and Charlie. Providing this story to all of you was a great pleasure.
I have posted a poll question for everyone. Please answer the poll, and I would love to see your reasons in the comments.
There is a lot of pain and suffering in what is a dark tale with a difficult but positive ending: the girls all survive and love each other even more. There is so much more that I wish I had said, but I wish I hadn't said so much. I wish more details were provided in one, and I wish fewer were provided in another. Some periods flowed too slowly; and others were too harried.
After so many years, though, I am proud to say that I have completed the dramatic adventures of Natalie, Emily, and Charlie. Providing this story to all of you was a great pleasure.
I have posted a poll question for everyone. Please answer the poll, and I would love to see your reasons in the comments.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
This story is very different from the others of yours that I have read. I can understand that I gave you difficulties at times. Excellent wrap up.
A List of my stories:An Unlikely Savior Completed
Spy Task Force Completed
Tale of an Archer Completed
The Bandit Scout on Newhome updated 05/30/23
No takers on the poll? 
[mention]GreyLord[/mention] readers like you are why this tale made it to be finished on this third attempt.
[mention]GreyLord[/mention] readers like you are why this tale made it to be finished on this third attempt.
CGC Short Stories (F+f+/F+f+): viewtopic.php?f=8&t=20527
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
Find my other CGC Stories in the same link above!
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DommeKirsten
- Forum Contributer
- Posts: 74
- Joined: 6 years ago
Voted. Don't tend to go back to page 1 thanks for prompt Alex