Rachel's Roxie Story

back to stories
home

Electric Angels Story

She looked at her watch...it was four thirty. Their show had been over for more than an hour. There were hardly any cars left in the parking lot of the Whisky. There was hardly any traffic moving on Hollywood Boulevard. She was in a rental car across the street from the well known Hollywood club.

Suddenly the door opened and five guys walked out. They were all dressed in mostly black and black leather. She reached over in the passenger seat and moved her Colt 45 and grabbed the folder. She opened it and looked through the bio sheets and photos she was sent. Shane, lead singer for the Electric Angels, twenty four. One girlfriend named Trinity Steele. Lived with her in a small apartment right outside of Hollywood. John Schubert played drums for the Electric Angels. He lived alone in a flat off the strip. No girlfriend but seeing a few girls here and there. There was a waitress at the Whisky he was seen with quite frequently. Jonathan Daniel played bass for the Electric Angels. No girlfriend, seemed to be more interested in his music and the band then seeing anyone, possible heartbreak in the past. Lived with John for awhile, but got his own apartment in the Hills. Davy Vain, owner of the Whisky. Had been around LA for ten years. Records say he came from New York. Not much else on him. Then there was her target, Ryan Roxie, played guitar for the Electric Angels. He lived in an apartment not far off the strip. Had one sister here in LA. Not much else on him. She hated that they didn't give her more info.

Shane and Jonathan shook the others hands and got in the van they had loaded their equipment in earlier. Then they took off. John hopped in his jeep and took off. Davy locked up the doors and shook hands with Roxie. He got in his Camaro and left. Roxie walked off alone down the alley. He got on his Harley Davidson and pulled out onto the Boulevard. She started the car and pulled out. She followed him to his apartment complex. She pulled into the apartment complex across the street. She climbed the pipes in the back to the roof and made her way up to the corner. She took pictures of him walking up the stairs and into his apartment.

She went back to her hotel. She had turned her bathroom into a dark room. She spent the better part of an hour developing the close ups of him. She took the pictures out and laid down on the bed. She rubbed her eyes. The jet lag was getting to her. She fell asleep staring into those haunting eyes of his. She began to wonder what he had done to make someone want him dead.

She woke up the next evening and took a shower. She would do it tonight. She dried her hair and got ready. She wore black stretch pants, black combat boots, and an oversized black sweater. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail. She got her large black duffle bag out of the closet and laid it on the bed. She was ready. She put the bag over her shoulder and headed out the door. She drove to Roxie's and parked behind the apartment complex across the street. She threw the bag over her shoulder and climbed the pipes to the roof again. She walked quietly across to the corner that faced Roxie's apartment complex. She sat down and began her work. She opened the bag and pulled out her night goggles. She pulled out a black briefcase and opened it. She began assembling her AK-47 assault rifle and attached the silencer. She laid it across her lap and pulled out a box of hollow point bullets. She loaded the gun and put on her black latex gloves. She put on her night goggles and waited.

Forty-five minutes later, Roxie came home. He was walking slowly toward the stairs. She picked up her gun and aimed. She had him right in her sight when he looked up. He almost seemed to be looking straight at her. His eyes were filled with pain. He was crying. Slowly, she put the gun down. He climbed the stairs and sat down on the top one. He was looking up at the sky. Something had happened....something bad.

She took apart the gun and put it away. She took off her night goggles and put them back in the bag. She took off her gloves and put them back. She zipped up the bag and threw it over her shoulder. She pulled the pony tail holder out of her hair and got in the car. She drove further down the alley and went back out to the street. She stopped in front of Roxie's apartments. She was breaking her own rules, but she had to learn more. She got out of the car and popped the hood. She pulled the distributor wire loose. She looked around frantically.

"Shit!!!" She yelled and kicked the car.

Roxie looked down at the poor helpless girl stranded in the street. Something was obviously wrong with her car. He dried the tears on his cheeks and stood up. He walked down the stairs and out by her car.

"Hi. Having trouble?" He asked trying his best to smile.

She looked up, startled at first. "Who...who..are you?"

"It's okay, my name's Ryan Roxie. I live here. I just happened to notice that you were having trouble. Can I be of help?"

She stood there in silence for a minute and then smiled. "Thank you, Ryan. I really need it. My name is Kessler Dylan...Kess."

"Nice to meet you, Kess." He looked under the hood for a minute. "Oh, here you go. It's your distributor wire, it just came loose." He leaned down and reattached it.

She smiled. "Thanks so much, I really appreciate it." She hesitated for a minute. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright." Ryan said softly.

"I know I just met you, but you just helped me and all. Your eyes are so filled with pain. I just want to make sure you're going to be okay."

Ryan looked at her in shock. "How....how did you know?"

"I can read people easily. I have a sense about these things."

"My sister...she was...killed in a robbery tonight."

"Oh my god." She said in shock. "I'm so sorry, Ryan."

He couldn't believe that this beautiful girl was willing to stand here and listen to him.

"Please don't think me weird for saying this. It's just that, I don't really want to be alone right now. Would you like to come up and have a cup of coffee?"

She thought for a minute and then smiled. "Okay."

He put the hood down and she followed him up the stairs. He unlocked the door of his place and she went inside. He shut the door and went into the kitchen. She felt so bad for him. He didn't even take his jacket off. He stood there in the kitchen with his back to her...staring at his sister's picture.

She walked into the kitchen. She touched his arm and he looked up at her. His eyes were filled with tears. She hugged him.

"It's okay." She said softly.

What the hell was she doing? Here she was comforting the man she was supposed to kill tonight. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. He was in too much pain. She couldn't do it. He was too kind. She wanted a reason now...why someone wanted him dead.

"Go sit down." She whispered.

Ryan sat down at the table. She made the coffee and sat down in the chair next to him. He looked up at her as more tears streamed down his cheeks. She laid her hand over his.

"I can't believe she's gone." He said softly. "She was so kind. She loved life. If I had a shitty day I could call her anytime and she would listen to me go on endlessly."

"She sounds like a beautiful soul."

"She was. She was an angel...and now she's gone."

"I'm so sorry." She said again and hugged him.

They sat there for hours. She finally stood up and helped Ryan up. He looked so exhausted. She put her arm under his and helped him into his bedroom. She helped him sit down on his bed. She took off his boots and his jacket. She laid him back on the bed and put a blanket over him. She sat down beside him and gently ran her fingers through his hair. His eyes closed when he didn't have the strength to fight off sleep anymore. She leaned down and kissed him on the forehead. Then she slipped out the door. She ran down the steps to her car.

Once she got back to her hotel, she picked up the phone and dialed an 800 number. She waited for the recording. "This is Kess, authorization 65709. I've had a snag...I need more info on the target." She hung up the phone and went to sleep.

She woke up the next morning and opened her door. There was a large brown manilla envelope taped to her door. She looked around, pulled it off, and went inside. She sat down on her bed and opened the envelope. She dumped its contents on the bed. It was an FBI file on Roxie's family history. Plus pictures of his mom, dad, and sister. Roxie's parents had been killed in a plane crash five years ago. Now that his sister was dead, he had no family left. This new information pulled at her heart. She and Roxie were exactly alike. What the hell was she going to do? She knew she couldn't kill him, but if she didn't they would send someone to kill them both.

She kept a close watch on Roxie for the next couple of weeks. Shane, Jonathan, and John were over at his apartment constantly. He needed his friends. They had his sisters burial service. It seemed to take a serious toll on him. The guys never left his side. They knew he was alone now.

She found out that the guys had a show scheduled at The Whisky. She decided to go. She wore ripped up jeans, black cowboy boots, a black leather belt, a purple long sleeved velvet body suit, and a long silver cross necklace.

She showed up around nine o'clock. She ordered a drink and sat down at the bar. She recognized the owner, Davy Vain, who got up and introduced the guys. The crowd got quiet all of a sudden.

"Good evening everyone...welcome to my humble abode!!" The crowd screamed back in response. "Tonight we are fortunate to have back with us...my very good friends...please welcome back...The Electric Angels!!!" The crowd went wild.

The guys ran out on stage and took their places. Davy hopped off stage and ran over to the sound booth.

Shane walked up to the mic. "Thanks for that welcome, Davy. We're glad to be back. You guys always know how to rock. All I can say is...I live in the city!!" The crowd screamed back as the guys exploded into their song. She had to admit, they were really good. She watched Ryan as he played. He was almost hypnotic. He seemed to immerse himself in his music. He was in a place where nothing could touch him...not even the pain. She was glad that she had come.

The guys came out after the show. Several of their fans rushed up to greet them. She studied Roxie. He seemed to be doing better. It was almost as if his music and his fans were the medicine that his soul needed to survive. Suddenly, he looked over at the bar and noticed her. She smiled. He whispered something to Shane and made his way through the crowd. He walked over and sat down on the stool next to her.

"You know, I almost had myself convinced that you were a dream." He said smiling.

She laughed softly. "No...just in the right place at the right time."

"I never got a chance to thank you."

"Not necessary, I saw a soul in pain. It felt nice to be able to help someone for a change. How are you doing?"

"I'm better. The guys have been keeping constant watch over me."

"You have very good friends, Ryan."

He smiled and looked over at the guys. "I sure do. I'm glad you came. What did you think?"

"You're very good. You guys are going to go far."

He smiled. "Thank you." He looked over at Shane. He was motioning for him. "Are you going to stick around for a bit?"

She smiled. "I'll be here." He smiled.

She watched him rejoin the guys and the large group of fans. Something about this fan made her yearn for a normal life. She watched Ryan as he talked to his fans. He was so kind to each and every one of them. He made sure that he talked to all of them. No one was left out. Davy started clearing people out around two. Ryan brought all of the guys over.

"Guys, this is Kessler Dylan, my guardian angel. Kess, this is Shane, our lead singer. Jonathan Daniel, our bassist, and John Schubert our drummer." Roxie said.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Kess." Shane said.

"He's talked about nothing else for the last two weeks." Jonathan said.

"Thanks for looking out for him." John said.

Roxie sat down on a stool beside her. She looked over at him and smiled.

"It was my pleasure."

"You're right, Roxie. She's beautiful and sweet." Jonathan said shoving him in the arm.

"Hey, we were all about to go to breakfast...would you like to join us?" Shane asked.

"Sure, thank you."

"Okay, so let's go." John said. "Night Davy, thanks."

They all filed out front.

"It's kind of crowded in the van with the equipment. Do you mind if we take my bike? I'll bring you back to your car."

"Works for me." She said with a smile.

"We'll meet you guys there." Ryan yelled out.

Shane waved as they climbed in the van. They walked down the alley and stopped at Ryan's bike. Ryan got on and she climbed on behind him. She put her feet up.

"I see you've ridden a Harley before."

"I used to have one." She said softly.

"Cool." Ryan started her up. Kess wrapped her arms tight around his waist as they took off. She laid her head against his back and closed her eyes. Once again, she found herself wishing that this could last. She was riding down Hollywood Boulevard on the back of a Harley Davidson with a drop dead gorgeous guy. What more could a normal girl wish for? But she hadn't been normal in a long time.

They pulled into the parking lot of Denny's and Ryan parked. She opened her eyes and got off. Ryan did too. They went inside and found the other guys. They all ordered and the inquisition began. They questioned her as to where she was from. She quickly picked one of her made up backgrounds. Baltimore, Maryland. Trying to relocate.

"I'm sure we could be of assistance." Ryan said.

They stayed there till about five, then the guys took off. Ryan took her back to the Whisky. She got off and walked over to her car.

"Kess?" Ryan asked leaning against the seat of his bike.

"Yeah?" She asked turning around.

"You're not just going to disappear again, are you?" He asked softly.

She walked back over to him. She stood there in silence. She ran her fingers through his hair like that first night. She stared into his eyes. There was so much he didn't know about her. He finally leaned forward and kissed her deeply. All thoughts poured from her mind. She could think of nothing else. She knew then...there was no way she could kill him. She was falling for him....hard.

She pulled away what seemed like hours later. He was smiling. She reached in her jacket and pulled out a pen. She took his hand and wrote the number to her hotel room on his palm.

"No." She whispered.

He smiled as his arm slid around her waist. He pulled her closer in another kiss. When she finally pulled away, she kissed him one more time and then got in her car. She waved as she drove away.

She went straight to her hotel and locked the door. She was entering dangerous territory. She had been warned what would happen if she failed to do a job or if she ever wanted out, and now she was doing both. She knew what was coming. They would not stop until it was done.

She pulled out her large suitcase and emptied it onto the bed. She had every kind of gun and bullet to go with them. She chose her favorite, a Colt 45 and loaded it. Now what was she going to do about Roxie? She slept sitting up with the gun in her hands. She jumped when the phone rang. She sat there and let it ring over to voice mail. She gave it a minute, then called her messages. She smiled when she heard Roxie's voice.

"Hey gorgeous, it's Ryan. Give me a call when you get this...555-7668. Talk to you soon."

She hung up and dialed the number. "Hello."

"You sound tired." She said smiling.

"So do you." He said.

"I am. This really cute guy kept me out till all hours of the morning last night."

"You don't say?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"He's very sweet, you know."

"Well, he'd like to maybe take you out for some breakfast, maybe play tour guide and even show you some cool apartments." She smiled, but didn't say anything for a minute. "Kess? You still there?"

"Only if we take your Harley." She whispered.

"You got it. Can you be over here by eleven or twelve?"

"Sure. I'll see you then."

"Okay, bye."

She hung up the phone and went into the bathroom. She took a shower and got dressed. She wore ripped up jean shorts, black cowboy boots, and a black Cheap Trick t-shirt. She brushed out her hair and put on her make-up and jewelry. She put on her black leather jacket with fringes down the sleeves and her sunglasses. She locked up her room and headed down to her car. She parked by Roxie's Harley and walked up the stairs to his apartment. She knocked on the door. < P> Roxie opened it and smiled. "Wow, you look incredible."

She smiled. "So do you."

He had on a tight pair of ripped up jeans, a black Electric Angels t-shirt on, and black cowboy boots. Of course, he would have looked good in anything.

He smiled. "Come in, please."

She went inside and pushed her sunglasses back in her hair.

"I just have to grab my jacket. I'll be right back."

Once he was out of the room, she quickly made a mental note of all windows, how many locks were on the door, and electrical outlets. She was going to find a way to keep this man alive if it killed her.

Ryan returned a moment later. He had his black leather jacket on. She smiled at him.

"Ready?" He asked. She nodded and put her sunglasses back on.

He locked up his apartment and they headed down the stairs to his bike. Ryan got on and she climbed on behind him. Her hands wrapped around his waist. He put on his sunglasses as a smile crossed his lips. She laid her head against his back as they took off. He drove to a quaint little restaurant on the beach. They had breakfast and then took a walk on the beach.

"So, what made you want to come out here?" Ryan asked. "Don't you miss your family?"

She grew very silent. Not a day went by that she didn't think about them. "I...I don't have any." She said softly. "My parents were killed in a car crash five years ago." That part was true.

Ryan stared at her in shock. "Mine were killed in a plane crash five years ago. This is too weird."

"You can't be serious." She said.

"I am. My sister helped me through it. I wouldn't have made it without her."

She hadn't had anyone to help her through. Perhaps that was why she was so easily brought into the ranks. She had dealt with her anger in a different way.

"You okay?" He asked putting his arm around her.

"It still gets to me sometimes."

"I know exactly how you feel."

They walked in silence for a few minutes.

"Hey, what do you say we head back to the bike. I think it's time for some fun."

She smiled. "Okay."

They drove around town and Roxie pointed out all the cool places on the strip. He showed her several excellent apartments and they even looked at a couple.

Then they went to a carnival down by Venice Beach. He won her a large purple stuffed furry dog. They rode the Ferris Wheel and he kissed her at the top. They had dinner at a restaurant on the strip.

Roxie brought her back to his apartment around midnight. She got off his bike and leaned against her car. Roxie walked over in front of her. He held both of her hands.

"Thank you for what was probably the most incredible day I've had in a long time." She whispered.

"It was my pleasure." He said softly, getting closer and closer.

He leaned down and kissed her hard. She could think of nothing else, but this man who haunted her every waking moment.

"Stay with me...please." He whispered in her ear.

She closed her eyes and thought for a moment. There was no turning back now. She was falling for him. She could only imagine making love to him. A smile crossed her lips and she nodded. He kissed her deeply again and held on to her right hand.

He led her toward the stairs and up to his apartment. He unlocked the door and led her inside. He locked the door. She took off her jacket and laid it on the couch. Ryan scooped her up in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. The made passionate love all night long.

Her eyes flashed open and she quickly glanced around the room. She was laying on Ryan's chest. He was asleep. She listened to the sound of his heart. His breathing was so relaxed. He was so handsome. He was going to find out the truth about her sooner or later...and when he did, he would probably never want to see her again.

All of a sudden, he heard the lock on the front door. The door opened and panic ran through her veins. Her gun was in her jacket in the living room.

"Yo Roxie!! You here?!" She breathed a sigh of relief...it was Shane.

Ryan opened his eyes and smiled. "Morning beautiful. I'm sorry. I should have warned you, the guys have keys to my place. I'll be right back." He kissed her and hopped up.

She laid her head down on the pillow and admired him as he walked over to where his jeans had been thrown the night before. He put them on and smiled back at her. He went out in the living room and shut the bedroom door.

Shane was getting two bottles of orange juice out of Roxie's frig His girlfriend Trinity was sitting on the counter.

"Did we wake you?" She asked taking the bottle from Shane.

"Yeah, but that's okay." Roxie said rubbing his eyes.

"We were worried about you, man. You didn't answer your phone at all yesterday. I told the guys I would come check on you."

"I'm okay. I was out all day yesterday." He said smiling

Trinity looked at him and smiled. "You were with that girl that you guys had breakfast with, weren't you?"

"How does she do that?" Roxie asked Shane.

Shane shrugged and kissed her. "That's my baby." He took a drink off of his bottle. "So, you and Kess, huh?"

"Do you like her?" Trinity asked.

Ryan walked into the kitchen and sat on the table. "I think I'm falling in love with her."

"Why are you whispering?" Trinity asked. "Oh...wait a minute..." A smiled crossed her lips. "She's still here...isn't she?"

Roxie looked at both of them and smiled.

Trinity hopped down. "Make her some breakfast, she'll love that. We're going to get out of here."

"See you at practice, bro." Shane said grabbing Trinity's hand. "Come on, baby."

Ryan walked them out. "Thanks guys, I'll be there."

He shut the door and went in the kitchen. He made scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon. He piled it all on one plate and filled two glasses of Orange Juice. He put it all on one tray and took it in to his beautiful house guest. He stood there for a minute admiring her. She had fallen asleep again.

He walked over and sat down beside her. He set the tray down at the end of the bed. He leaned over and ran his fingers through her hair. He gently kissed her. She moaned softly as she kissed him back. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled.

"Hi." He whispered. "Don't worry, they're gone."

Suddenly, she smelled the food. She looked up. "You cooked for me?" She asked smiling.

"I couldn't be inhospitable to my gorgeous house guest." He leaned over and kissed her again.

He propped up the pillows and turned on the TV to the cartoons. They sat there snuggled up in bed feeding each other. Every moment with him surprised her. They took a shower and made love again. Then she got dressed. Ryan walked her down to her car.

"I've got practice later, but I'll call you."

She smiled. "I got some stuff to take care of too. See you soon." She kissed him and then got in her car and left.

She pulled into the parking lot of her hotel. She parked the car and pulled out her gun. She put in the back of her jean shorts. She scanned all the cars in the parking lot. She slowly got out and looked around. She climbed the stairs and stopped in front of her door. There was a business card taped to her door. It was for St. Christopher's church. She took it off and quickly looked around. She ran back down to her car and raced out of the parking lot.

She drove to St. Christopher's and parked. She slowly walked inside and looked around. She saw him up front sitting in the pews. She pushed her sunglasses back in her hair. She slowly walked up front and sat down beside him. The man next to her was in his early fifties. His hair was graying slightly at his temples. There was worry in his eyes.

"I knew you'd come." She said softly.

"I begged them to give me a chance to talk to you."

"Thank you." This man was her mentor. He had taken her in when her parents had died. He taught her everything she knew. He was like a father to her.

"What do you think you are doing?"

"I'm not sure. I can't do it, Jack. I fell for him."

He looked back up at the front of the church. "You're headed down a very dangerous path, Kess. Make sure this is what you want. You're not only risking your life here, but his as well."

"I know." She said softly.

"I won't be able to help you anymore. This is bigger than the both of us."

"I've been in it too long. I want a life. I love him, Jack."

"How do you think he'll react when he hears that you were sent here to kill him?"

"I'll deal with that as it comes along. I can't do this anymore. You will always mean the world to me."

He looked up at her and smiled. There was a tear in his eye. "May god watch over you." He patted her hand and then got up to leave. She watched him as he walked out of the church.

That was the end. She could not turn back. She had some major work to do. She raced back to her hotel room and packed up her bags. She drove around town and finally chose one of the apartments she and Ryan had looked at. She turned on the bills in an alias name. She returned her rental car and bought a black convertible Mustang. She bought little things here and there at thrift shops to make it more home to her.

A few days later, she called Ryan and left a message on his machine.

Around six o'clock the phone rang. "Hello?"

"Kess, oh thank god!! I've been so worried!!"

She felt so much better, just hearing his voice. "I'm sorry, Ryan. I decided to get settled. I moved into one of the apartments we looked at."

Ryan sighed. "I'm just so glad that you're okay."

She quickly picked up on the fact that there was something very wrong. "Ryan, what's going on?"

"That's what I would like to find out. Someone ran Jonathan off the road yesterday. He's got a broken leg and he's in a coma. Shane's apartment was broken into and trashed. Thank god, him and Trinity weren't there. I thought something bad had happened to you."

Anger raced through her. So...it had started already.

"I'll be down there in fifteen minutes, where are you?"

"The Emergency Room at LA Memorial."

"I'll be right there."

She slammed the phone down. How was she going to protect them like this. They weren't always together. She loaded her Colt 45 and put it in the back of her jeans. She put three extra clips in her jacket. She grabbed her keys and hopped in her Mustang. She raced across town. She parked and ran inside.

"Kess!!" Ryan called out.

She ran over to him and kissed her and held her tight.

"I'm so sorry." She said softly. She meant it too.

He stroked her hair. "It's okay. The doc says his vital signs are looking good."

They walked over and sat down in the waiting area with the guys. Shane was holding a beautiful girl with long brown wavy hair, she was crying. John was sitting next to her. He had this horrible look of despair in his eyes.

"Hi Kess." John whispered.

"This is Shane's girlfriend, Trinity." Ryan said.

"Hi." Shane whispered.

She felt so bad. All of them refused to leave Jonathan's room, so the nurses brought blankets and pillows. She sat in the window seat facing the door. Everyone was asleep.

Around three, she saw the lights go out in the hallway. She saw the outline of someone standing at the door. Her heart jumped into her throat. She hopped down quietly and raced to the door. By the time she got out of the room, the person was gone. She looked down the hallway and spotted a dark figure running away. She pulled out her gun and took off after them. She saw a door open and followed the person in there. They had gone to the stairs and were heading for the roof. She made it up to the door and slowly opened it. She looked around.

"You can go back and tell them, that they can't have this one. I'm not giving up on this, no matter what."

"Neither are we." A voice said from behind her.

She whirled around and saw the knife high over her head. She dropped to the ground and kicked the person's feet out from under them. The knife clanked to the ground. She flipped back on to her feet and grabbed her gun. She put a foot in the throat of this person and pointed the gun at their head.

"Like....I...Go back and tell them....I'm not giving up on this one....NO MATTER WHAT!!"

She heard the person groaning. She finally lifted up her foot and started to walk away. Then she heard the scuffling of the gravel below the person's feet. She whirled around and fired three times. The gun in the hands of the person dressed in black fell to the roof.

The person fell over the edge of the roof and went crashing to the ground. She picked up the gun and put it inside her jacket. She put her gun in the back of her jeans again and quickly returned to the dark hallways of the hospital. She stopped at a soda machine and got a coke. She snuck back quietly into the room. Ryan opened his eyes and reached out for her.

"Where'd you go, baby." He whispered.

"I got thirsty. I went for a soda."

She sat down on Ryan's lap and curled up in his arms. Shortly after, they fell asleep again.

They stayed there off and on for three days. Ryan couldn't believe that someone was killed on the roof of the very hospital they were all in. It was all over the news. Jonathan finally woke up. He was still very weak.

"Dude, something very strange is going on." Shane said to Ryan.

"What about that place your parents left to you." John said.

Why hadn't he thought of it before? It was perfect. A place where they could all go hide for awhile until whatever this was blew over.

They checked Jonathan out of the hospital against medical advice. They all packed up a couple bags and the van. They piled in and left town. Ryan had first shift on driving. Kess had made sure that one of the bags she brought was filled with things to protect them if necessary. She knew damn well that they had the means to track them.

They drove for two days. They ended up in the beautiful hills of Seattle. It was a very secluded spot. There was a very large two story log cabin.

"My god, it's beautiful." Kess said in shock.

"I haven't been up here since I was a kid." Roxie said.

"Okay, Jonathan's not looking too good." John said. "We need to get him inside."

Shane, Ryan, and John helped carry Jonathan inside. They took him to his room and helped him get comfortable. Trinity and Kess carried in the bags. They left them in the living room so everyone could grab their own. A few minutes later, they took off to go do some shopping. The house had no food at all. They were about thirty miles away from Seattle, that gave Kess and Trinity plenty of time to talk.

"Look, Ryan's been hurt a lot in the past. All I'm asking is that you treat him good."

Kess looked over at Trinity. She could see the sincerity in her eyes. "I will, I promise. I didn't expect this, you know? I didn't expect to fall for him so quickly."

Trinity smiled, she knew Kess was serious. She told Kess all about the guys. She told her about how they all met three years ago at that fateful Whisky show. Kess just sat there and listened.

They got back to the house late. Ryan fixed dinner for everyone. They helped Jonathan eat. Trinity and Shane headed off to bed and so did John. Everyone was exhausted.

Kess stood out on the front porch scanning the trees nervously. She knew they would come. It was only a matter of time. Ryan walked up and put his arms around her waist from behind. He gently kissed her ear.

"You okay?" He asked softly.

"I'm alright." She whispered. "Just tired."

"Come on. Let's go crash." He took her hand and led her inside. He locked up the front door and all the windows. Then they headed off to their room.

She took off her jeans and her bra and crawled into bed. Ryan took off his shirt and his jeans. He crawled into bed beside her and pulled the blanket over them both. He stared at her for a minute.

"What?" She asked softly.

"You're just so beautiful." He said in a whisper.

He leaned down and kissed her passionately for a minute. Then he rolled over on his back. She turned over on her stomach and laid her head on his chest. She fell asleep listening to his heartbeat.

She woke around noon the next day. Ryan was gone. She laid there in bed with her eyes closed listening to the birds outside. Suddenly, she felt gentle kissed on the back of her neck. A low moan escaped her. Then those familiar hands began massaging her shoulders and then her neck. She was in heaven. Then suddenly those fingers found their way to her throat. She couldn't breathe. She bolted up in bed gasping for air. Ryan sat up and held her in his arms.

"Nightmare?" He asked. She just nodded.

He ran his fingers through her hair. Her heartbeat slowly began to return to normal.

"Better?" He whispered.

He put a finger under her chin and lifted it up. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He was so gentle and kind. She was either going to end up getting him killed or he would live and hate her forever. Either way, she was pretty sure that she was going to end up losing him.

He softly kissed each tear away and held her close to him again. He laid back against the pillows with her still in his arms. She finally drifted back off to sleep.

The next morning she opened her eyes and looked around. She was in Ryan's arms. She heard the birds. She knew she wasn't dreaming. She listened for any unnatural sounds outside, but heard none. She looked back at Ryan. He looked so cute when he was sleeping. She leaned forward and kissed him. A smiled crossed his lips as he kissed her back.

"Mmmmmm....what a way to wake up. Morning, beautiful." He said softly as he held her to him.

"I didn't mean to wake you, I just couldn't resist. You looked so cute." She said sheepishly.

"You my dear, may kiss me anytime that you like." He leaned forward and kissed her deeply. "God, I am so glad that you came with us."

She wanted to tell him so badly, but she couldn't find the words. "Me too." She whispered. "You are so good to me."

"Of course, my momma taught me how to treat a lady." He hopped up. "Now, I am going to take a shower. Would someone care to join me?" He asked with a nervous look in his eyes.

She couldn't help laughing. "Now, who could resist an offer like that."

hey took a shower and played for the better part of an hour. Then Ryan got her out and made love to her. She wondered what the others were thinking. She finally convinced him that they should get something to eat and check on Jonathan.

inity had fixed breakfast. Jonathan seemed to be doing better. The guys helped Jonathan down to the studio. They took it really easy, but they spent most of the day in there. Trinity and Kess watched movies, drank wine coolers, and did each other's nails. Kess couldn't believe how much fun she was having.

A night after everyone had gone to sleep she grabbed her bag and snuck out of the house. She crouched down and put on her night goggles. She scanned the area and saw no movement. She went about a mile out from the house and set traps in a circular pattern till she got back to the house. She hid a couple guns out front. Then she hid a few guns through out the house. She had made sure they were all loaded. Then she snuck back into their bedroom. She crawled back into bed and snuggled up next to Ryan. His arm went around her waist instinctively. She drifted off to sleep a little while later.

They woke to the sound of peircing screams and they both bolted up in bed. She put on her jean shorts and ran out into the halway Ryan came running behind her. There was a man at the end of the hallway dressed in a dark suit and trench coat. He had a Colt 45 jammed in Trinity's temple. Tears were pouring down her cheeks. Kess could see the terror in her eyes. She cursed herself for not keeping watch outside last night.

"Please....do come out into the living room."

She knew very well that she could disarm him without harming Trinity, but she didn't know how many more were around. Ryan walked in front of her and out into the living room. There were three more.

"Grab Trinity and duck when I say." She whispered in Ryan's ear. Ryan didn't say anything.

"Now!!" Kess yelled.

Ryan grabbed Trinity and they ducked into a corner. She jumped up and kicked the guy behind them in the stomach. She grabbed his gun, did a flip, and shot three times. Each one of the guys fell to the floor dead. Ryan looked up at her in shock.

She got up and went back to the guy in the hall. She buried his gun in his neck. Her voice was low and very intent. Her rage was more than apparent.

"I would love nothing more than to pull this trigger. You came here to kill me and my friends, but it's not going to happen. How many more are outside?"

"Six....out front...six out back."

"Miss Dylan....if you would be so kind as to join us outside, please?" A voice from outside said over a megaphone.

Her blood froze. She knew that voice. She slowly stood up. "Go...outside....now!!"

The guy got up and ran outside. Trinity and Ryan sat there in the corner staring at her. She looked out the window. There were two black limousines. Six men in dark suits were standing there armed to the teeth. In front of them stood the man who had spoken on the megaphone. It was Vincent Tandino. He was a major player in the mob as well as underhanded government dealings. In front of him on their knees were Shane and John. There were men standing by them with guns to their heads. Jonathan was laying on the ground next to them.

"Miss Dylan, you can see the urgency of the situation. I wouldn't want anything else to happen to Mr. Roxie's friends."

"Shit." She muttered under her breath.

"Kess....what's going on?" Ryan whispered.

She looked over at him. There was no way out of this. She had no time to explain.

"Come on. For your own safety and the guys." Kess said.

She put the gun in the back of her jean shorts. Ryan and Trinity got up and slowly walked to the front door. Kess followed. They went outside. Several guys grabbed Ryan and Trinity and put them in hand cuffs. They shoved them to their knees next to the other guys. They made no move towards Kess.

"We are in quite a predicament here, my dear." Mr. Tandino said.

"Yes, I know." Kess said looking around at the guys surrounding him.

"You failed to carry out your orders."

"That is true."

"May I ask why?"

"Because I...fell in love with him."

Ryan had no idea what the hell was going on, but he smiled when he heard the last part.

"Ah ha, now we get to the truth. But you see, he could never love you. Have you told him the truth, why you came here?"

Tears clouded her eyes. She couldn't see Ryan's face, but she knew it wasn't good. Vincent walked up to Ryan and kneeled down in front of him.

"Did you know that Miss Dylan was an assassin sent here to kill you?"

Ryan's thoughts were a blur. He searched desperately for truth in the man's eyes. He wanted to see Kess and find out what was going on.

"She's been in our organization for the last five years." Vincent said proudly.

Ryan's eyes filled with confusion, pain, and rage.

"I am the one that you want. Why don't you just let them go." Kess said trying to be strong.

"Now you knew what the consequences of your actions would be if you ever tried to leave us."

"I wanted a life. I wanted out because I found the only person who has ever loved me for who I am inside. Yes, I wanted out. I did know what would happen, but you don't need him. You have me, what are they going to say about you killing the glorious Kessler Dylan?" She hesitated for a minute. "I will do anything that you want.....just let them go." She said pleading.

"I am so honored." Vincent said laughing. "One of the world's greatest assassin's begging for her target/lover boyfriend and his friend's lives. My, my, my....how times do change."

Right then, a single bullet was fired that knocked the megaphone out of Vincent's hand.

I smiled. "It does appear that the upper hand is beginning to change." Jack had come through after all. She knew damn well that he hadn't come alone. A second shot fired, knocking the gun out of the hand of the man next to Trinity and Ryan. They were all looking around in panic.

"You know, I would venture to say that whoever that is...if they wanted you dead...you would be." Kess said.

"This changes nothing." Vincent yelled out. "Grab her."

The shooting stopped and she fought as hard as she could. Ryan felt so helpless. Two more shots, their tires flattened. Four of them ran up and grabbed her. She kept struggling as they followed Mr. Tandino around the side of the house. There was a huge explosion. Ryan knew. He felt it in his heart. His love was gone. He was in shock, no tears came to his eyes.

A few minutes later an older man carrying a 22 rifle ran up. FBI agents came running from every direction. The older man unlocked all the cuffs. He unlocked Ryan's and stared at him for a minute.

"She loved you. She's never loved anyone like that before. She was willing to die just to be near you. Never forget that."

Then he got up and disappeared in the sea of faces. They were each asked to give statements and Tandino's men were arrested. Ryan couldn't say a word. His voice was gone. He could only see her face as they drug her around the corner of the building.

The guys packed up their stuff and loaded the van. Shane drove. They took their time and headed back to LA.

Jonathan got a lot better over the next six weeks. The guys threw themselves into their music and spent hours a day in the studio. Ryan wrote a song called Angel for her. It was the last song on the cd. She had left his life just as quickly as she had entered it. The guys played gig after gig and worked harder than ever. Trinity was there with them at every show.

Six months later, they were signed to Dreamscape Records. It was the biggest thing to hit Los Angeles in a long time. Davy had a big send off party for them at the Whisky the night before their World Tour was due to kick off.

They played for three straight hours. Ryan had never seen the Whisky so packed. The crowd was amazing. Shane, John, and Jonathan had gone out to sign autographs. Roxie couldn't help thinking about her being back here. He slowly walked down the hallways and opened the door to their dressing room. He closed it behind him. His eyes filled with tears again. God, he missed her.

Suddenly, he gasped in shock. There sitting on top of his guitar case was the large purple dog that he had won for her at the carnival. He looked frantically around the room. Was it possible? Was someone playing a sick joke on him? He slowly walked over to the dog. There was a piece of paper in his collar. He pulled it out and read the note. It only said one word....FAITH.

He stood there in shock, what the hell did this mean? Could this be someone else trying to kill him. He had to know who had done this.

He grabbed the baseball bat and opened the door to the hallway. He looked around and walked towards the exit door that led to the alley. He opened it and looked around. He could see no one. He was about to go back inside when he heard footsteps coming. He froze.

Ryan whirled around and raised the bat as a girl emerged from the shadows. She had long wavy black hair and a bikers cap on. She had a black Electric Angels t-shirt on, ripped up jean shorts, and black cowboy boots. He couldn't see her face because the light was behind her. He just stood there as she got closer.

"Ryan..."

Tears clouded his eyes, it was her. He picked her up in his arms and swung her around. He kissed her over and over.

"How....How....?" He kept repeating.

She smiled as a few tears streamed down her cheeks. "It was all part of the FBI's plan. The man who spoke to you about me, he is a friend. He contacted them and they faked my death so I could go to trial and testify. Tandino and his men will not see the light of day for many years. They gave me a new identity and let me pick where I wanted to live."

A big smile crossed his lips. "Ryan Roxie." He said shaking her hand.

"Angelika Knight." She said smiling. "You may call me Angel."

He hugged her tight. "I don't care about the past. All I want is you."

"God, I love you." She whispered in his ear.

"I love you, baby. Marry me. I never want to lose you again." He said staring deep into her eyes."

She smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. "Yes."

He had her back. He closed his eyes and thanked god for this miracle. He wasn't sure how it had happened, but he was never going to let her go again.

Okay, so here's a quick note. The "organization" wanted Roxie dead because his parents witnessed a murder years ago. They killed his parents and were worried that they might have told him something, that's why they sent her to take him out. Roxie's sister was killed in a robbery. This was all part of the plan. Make him suffer and then kill him. The "organization's agenda." Rachel ;)