quick note

hey guys!
sorry i haven't posted a new chapter...
i've been a little busy and consumed with other things
(reading reading and more reading)
had to get those creative juices flowing...
but i'm back now
and i'm working on chapter three
should be posted tomorrow!
so check back tomorrow if you feel like reading it!
gonna be some more and drama...
and some relationship building!
OOO!

hehe =DD

THANKS FOR READING!

Chapter Two

Four Years Earlier...
Ashley's head had been hurting for nearly two hours now. That blow had really done some damage. Well at least the sack was off her head so she could actually breath again. She slowly lifted her eye lids which felt even heavier than before so she could see what was around her. Nothing changed. From opening and closing her eyes, the picture was the same. Empty. Darkness. Ashley closed her eyes again and leaned her head back. There wasn't really much she could do. Her arms were tied down to the chair she was in with tape, along with her legs and her waste. Apparently they didn't want her moving.
Ashley considered sleeping. Maybe it would help with the pain in her head. But before she could even find sleep, the door slamed open and light shined into to room for a moment. A man had walked into the room and it seemed as if he was walking towards her now. The foot steps got louder and louder as the man drew nearer to where she was trapped. What was he going to do to her? He didn't have anything in his hands did he? She couldn't remember if she had seen anything when the light had shown in. The foot steps stopped. He must be right in front of her now. Ashley's breathing started to speed up and she could feel her body tremble. There was a click and then lights came on. Everything was so bright that Ashley closed her eyes at first. The light had increased the pain she felt in her head.
After a few moments she opened her eyes again and noticed there was a table infront of her. Then, there sitting across from her, the man who had haunted her every being for far too long. She slowly looked around the room. Every wall was cement along with the floor but the ceiling was tile. The room was very large in both width and height with just a single door on the wall that was across from her. Where did someone find a room like this? How long would she be stuck here?
"Ashley Stephens."
The man was begining to speak to her. She didn't want to talk to such a fowl creature, especially given the position she was in.
"Ashley, it would be best if you listened to me."
She turned her head towards the man and glared at him.
"Very good. Now, we won't be staying here long. Just a few hours. Then you will be moved to a new location. I'm afraid we will be moving around alot. At least for the first year. Then we should be able to settle down somewhere nice."
What was the man saying? He actually expected her to settle down with him?
"Yes, Ashley, I do expect you to settle down with me. Not as my wife of course. Nothing like that. I'm a decent guy, Ashley. Think of me as oh I don't know a friend. Your very best friend. Now you don't want to upset your very best friend do you, Ashley?"
Where was this guy going? He wanted to be her friend? Well then why must he kid-nap her and almost kill her? Guess a simple hello was just too old fashion these days.
"Ashley, you are going to have to work with us. So you might want to start talking, dear."
"Why me?"
"There we go, sweetheart, just a few words from you and your stay with us will be peaceful."
"That didn't answer my question."
The man smiled at Ashley. It wasn't a kind smile you would share with a friend but rather a smile a man had before he was about to share the punch line of a joke.
"Why not you?"


Present Day...
Toby sat on his bed with his legs pulled up infront of him, thinking. Ashley was now twenty years old. Her age had been something he rarely thought about. The past four years hadn't changed his feelings for her and being so consumed with finding her, her age and his own just slipped his mind. He still had thought of her as the sixteen year old beauty he fell in love with. He still remembered the day they had met.
They were back in London. Toby had decided to head towards the library for a research paper he had to do for college. Who really wanted to write a paper about birds was beyond him, but being a freshman in college you just took every subject. Therefore science was included in that mess. He reached the library and pulled the door open. A girl was walking a few paces behind him. She was pretty and he decided to be a gentleman and hold the door open for her. She thanked him quietly then proceeded into the library.
The moment she spoke the thanks a feeling Toby had never felt before rushed over him.
Lord, is this the one?
A peace came over Toby. One he had felt before when God was answering his questions. The girl was small and seemed shy. He should at least introduce himself. Toby walked over to where the girl was examining books. He glanced at the shelf she was eyeing. Birds? How ironic.
"So, you have an interest in birds?" Small talk seemed best to start a conversation.
The girl looked up at him as if she couldn't believe he was talking to her. Toby glanced into the girls blue eyes and felt that same peace again. Something inside told him he was looking at the woman who he would spend the rest of his life with. Frankly, Toby was perfectly fine with that.
The girl laughed a little the spoke, "No, paper for school."
God, sometimes it feels like You're just up there laughing at me. I can see You up there in heaven saying, "See, look Toby, I told you My timing was perfect."
"How ironic, I'm doing a paper for school as well on birds."
"Oh really," the girl laughed again, "How ironic indeed."
Her laugh had Toby captured. Even the soft giggle she was trying to hid from the others around them were music to his ears.
"So, umm, which highschool do you attend?"
Highschool? Oh no. This girl was still in highschool? Most likely taking biology. So that put her in what tenth grade? Making her what fifteen? Sixteen at the most? Great.
God, am I missing something here?
"Uh, I'm not in highschool, anymore."
"Oh."
Great. This girl would probably run away from him thinking he was trying to hurt her. Still though God returned his questions with that peace he had felt from earlier. Was it really that he would find the girl he was going to marry while she was still in highschool? She was what three years younger than him? That wasn't so bad, right? Maybe if he told her just how old he was then she wouldn't worry too much.
"I'm a freshman in college."
"Sophomore in highschool."
"Toby."
Toby stuck his hand out as if he was going to shack the girls hand. At least it would seem like a natural introduction. Or not.
"Ashley."
The girl reached for his hand and shook it lightly. Toby didn't want to let go and from the way the girl held his hand it seemed like she didn't want to either. They stood there staring into each others eyes, their hands still holding on to the other. Peace filled the room and Toby could almost hear how a choir of angels would be singing in heaven right now. That had been one of the happiest moments in Toby's life.
He was now lying flat on his back thinking of the memories he had with Ashley. How he missed her so. What would she be like now? Would she still be the same Ashley? Or had she changed? Or course she would still be Ashley. She would always be that shy girl doing a research paper on birds to him. No matter how much time passed between them until he saw her again. The thing was that he would see her again. Besides he promised her that he would marry her one day.


Alex sat at a table in the dinning room waiting for Julie to join them so they could begin the meeting. It had been a week since Julie had joined their group and she was suppose to have some updates for them. Alex sat at the table, tapping his fingers, being very impatient. Toby sat silently in his chair, apparently thinking about something else. Jim shot Alex a glance that showed he was annoyed with his tapping. Alex didn't care. Julie was running late and he was not happy about that. She was wasting time he could be using to find his sister. Didn't she think about that?
Right then Julie walked into the room caring three red folders. She placed one in front of each of them, then took a seat next to Jim. How odd it was that this coupld was begining to form under these circumstances.
"Shall we begin this meeting now?"
Apparently Julie wanted to get this over and done with just as much as Alex wanted it to start. He opened the folder he had infront of him and noticed several pages of information were inside. What had this lady dug up in one week?
"Well then. Looks like I'll be the only one speaking here. On the first page you can see a print that had been left on the floor by where we believe Ashley had been laying before she was knocked out. The print isn't Ashley's nor is it Alex's or Bill's. Therefore we believe that it could possibly be the man who took Ashley. Only there is one problem with all this."
Julie bit down on her lip and conclusions started to draw in Alex's mind.
"Don't tell me," Alex started to say, "That man is dead."
"Ding. We have a winner."
Alex's head fell onto the table. How were they suppose to find his sister if the man who took her four years ago was dead?
"Please," he started to say again, "That there is some good news from this."
"There is."
"Well, what are you waiting for."
"Sorry. Well when we found out the man was dead it was apparent the man was simply one who had just helped the man who took your sister. After he was no longer a use to the your sister's kid-napper then he killed the man. The fewer people who know about the things you have done the better, right?"
"Yes. But how is this good news?"
"The man may be dead, Alex, but his background and the people he worked with will help us. We now have a list of names to work with."
"And how many men are on this list, Julie?"
Julie bit down on her lip again, "Alot."
Of course. Because if the man had only worked with one guy then that would just make things too easy. This search was begining to look more and more impossible. Sucking in a deep breath, Alex closed his eyes to think. Julie was right in one way. At least they had a list now.
"Where is this list at, Julie?"
"Well," Julie looked down at the table,"If you turn the page in the folder then that is where the list begins."
Alex did as she said. The page was filled with names. He continued to flip through the pages to find more and more list of people the man had worked for. Ten pages later, he came to the end of the list. Well then, guess they better get started. Suddenly a thought came to Alex's mind.
"Wait a minute. Shouldn't we just go with the last guy he worked with. Apparently he either died on the job or was killed by the guy he was working for."
Julie looked over at Jim, bitting on her lip yet again, then turned back to face Alex.
"Umm, Alex, the man just died a few months ago. The odd that he was still working with the guy who kid-napped your sister are very slim. Almost impossible. Because as you can see from the list, this guy didn't work with people for more than a few weeks at the most."
Alex couldn't believe what he was hearing. He closed his eyes again, rubbing his temple with his pointer fingers. There must be some way to figure these list out. Without a word, Alex pushed away from the table, got to his feet, and walked out the door. He had to get away from this mess. Some place where he could just think through everything. There had to be a way. There just had to. He owed it to his sister.


"Well, that could have gone worse."
Julie turned towards Jim with a puzzled look. Did this guy really believe that Alex had taken the information well?
"Jim, that was horrible. I'll be lucky if I'm still working for you guys tomorrow."
Alex was upset. She knew it. And she had been the one to upset him. She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't fire her. After all she pretty much just showed Alex that finding the man who kid-napped his sister was almost next to impossible.
Lord, I don't know what to do. I thought the print was a sign. That maybe this search would be over with soon because of the print. What do I say to a man who is anger?
Julie had dealt with anger men before and it was not something she wanted to do again. She had to find some way to figure out these list. Maybe they could find out some dates. Years even would show some good possiblities. She at least owed that to Alex.
"Hey Julie, don't look so down. You have given us more than what we had before. Sure it will take some time to go through these list. But hey it's a place to start at now. And Alex didn't yell at you or anything. He just needs his space. He'll be fine."
Jim was such an encourager. Julie would have to thank God for bringing this man into her life. He truely was remarkable.
"Julie."
Julie turned her head towards Toby, who hadn't spoken at all since she enter the room.
"I just wanted to say thank you. You're bringing us one step closer to finding Ashley each day. And I'm truely thankful for you."
Whatever she thought Toby was going to say to this information, it surely wasn't that. He was thanking her? Here was a man who was in love with Ashley Stephens and he was thanking her for showing him it was pretty much impossible to find the love of his life? How had Julie come across such amazing men. Ashley Stephens was going to have a wonderful life once she was back in the arms of this man who sat across from her. With that said Toby got to his feet and left the room.
"Wow."
"Wow what?"
Julie turned her head back to Jim to see the questions in his eyes.
"I wasn't expecting a thank you. Especially not from Toby of all people."
Jim laughed a little.
"Julie, really, you have done a remarkable job. You need a thank you here and there. We're going to find her, hon. Count on that. Besides, Jesus is in total control of all this. Remember that."
And then Jim got up and left as well.
Julie was left speechless.
God, I don't know where You are taking me, but I'm just going to trust You with all of this. Every part to this case. Take control of this situation. And please just continue to give hope to these men. They need that more than anything. Especially Alex.
Well, it was time to get started. Julie got up and followed Jim into the room she had spent most of her time since she got started with this case. She would find Ashley Stephens. Even if it was her final act.

Chapter One: Four Years Later

"Alex! Alex!"
"Ashley? Where are you?" Alex ran threw a long hall way. The lights were flickering on and off. Where was he? How did he end up here? None of that matter. Ashley was calling for him. He had to find her.
"Alex save me!"
"Ashley! I'm coming! Hold on!"
"He's going to kill me Alex! Save me!
He? Who was he? Who was trying to kil his sister? Who ever he was he was not going to win this time.
"Ashley! Where are you?"
"NO! ALEX!"

Alex quickly sat up in his bed. He was breathing hard and his shirt was covered in sweat. How many times had he had such a dream. No matter though it was just another dream. Another thing he had to work through. The shrink would be thrilled with him and the idea that the dreams kept coming. Of course he could just tell him that nothing was wrong. The faster he got better the faster he could stop wasting time talking to that guy and instead continue with the search for his sister. It had been four years since the last time he saw her face, since she had been kid-napped, but he wasn't giving up. He had promised Ashley the best from him and that was what she was going to get.
Alex laid back down on his pillow and stared up at the ceiling. It was still dark outside but there was no way he would be going back to bed anytime soon. He flipped over to look at the time. It was a few minutes after three in the morning. Well it wasn't so bad to go ahead and start the day besides he had woken up much earlier then this before. It just meant more time he could invest in the search.
It was ironic to him that he had spent a year protecting his sister from being hunted and now he had spent the last four years of his life hunting her himself. There weren't many left from the orignal search party. Alot of people left after the first year, some even leaving after a few months. Slowly as time had gone by more and more people started leaving and giving up. Some days it seemed like it was only Alex, Toby, Bill, and Alex's friend Jim from highschool who were the only ones still into the search. Jim and Alex had been tight for years along with Ashley. The three made up their own group of musketeers. Doing everything together, from beach trips to just a hang out at home. Jim was the same age as Toby but Alex had always wished his sister would notice Jim. But of course she went out and found her own guy.
Toby and Jim had become friends during the search, both just as into the search as Alex was, for they both loved Ashley and would do anything for her. Alex had never really noticed Jim's feelings for Ashley until the search had started and he found Jim tucked away in the corner praying. How strange it was that Jim actually thought pray would do them any good when they had no leads at all. But Jim told Alex he was just praying that an angel would protect Ashley while they searched for her. He wouldn't be able to move on if any harm came to Ashley, even though it wouldn't have been his fault, he still cared deeply for her.
That's when Alex started to respect Jim and his faith. Sure he didn't want anything to do with it but he respected the guy because he was at least praying for his sister to be safe. He made sure to stay out of Jim and Toby's way when they started to talk about God and prayed. It was just weird for him and he didn't want to mess up their prayers with his doubt. Maybe that was how the two guys became friends? Was it really the fact they shared the same faith? Because to Alex he would be mad if some other guy was claiming they loved his girlfriend. Of course no one really mentioned Toby and Ashley's relationship. It just torn Toby up more and more realizing he might never see his girlfriend again. Guess Toby was starting to gain Alex's respect as well. A little. But he still didn't always like the guy.
As Alex laid in his bed, debating with himself to get up or not, he started to pick through the dream he had just had to see if there was anything he could pull from it. Of course there wasn't because the lights didn't stay on long enough for him to even stop and look around at where he was. For all he knew he could have been in the mansion's hall ways. They were somewhat similiar. Giving up on finding something from his dream, Alex rolled out of bed and headed to get ready for the day. Maybe they would find something today at the scene. There was a new girl coming in to examine the kitchen that had yet to be cleaned up just in case there might be something they had missed. A clue or message from Ashley stating where she had gone or who it was that took her. Either way Alex was ready for the day to start.


Julie Andrewson was staring at a kitchen that hadn't been cleaned in four years. How could these people not think to bring in a forensic pathologist to a scene like this. There was so much she could find in all this but there would have been alot more if she was called right away. Whatever though. It had been four years but no one had walked into this kitchen expect Ashley Stephens brother, Alex, and Bill, the step-dad. Their foot prints and finger prints had been taken just in case they left any prints in the kitchen. So there wasn't anything to worry about. Except that it had been four years, and the odds that Ashley Stephens was still alive was looking slim.
Lord, Ashley sounds like such a sweet girl. How could something like this happen to some one so young? Please help me find something to give this family and their friends some hope.
"So where is this lady who suppose to be amazing?"
Suppose to be amazing? Apparently these people had no idea how to lead a search. Julie turned around and faced the man who had address her.
"Hi there, this lady you speak of would be me. I'm Julie Andrewson."
"Oh, hey, I'm Alex, Ashley's brother, and this is Toby and Jim, they're friends of Ashley and me."
Julie couldn't believe her eyes. Three guys all looking for one girl? Apparently this girl was more important than she thought. She looked over to Alex who seemed to blush a little once he realized who she was. A guy blushed talking to her? Well this was new.
"Hi. So tell me about your sister."
"What do you want to know?"
"Well, I already know the basic. Her name is Ashley Stephens. Sixteen years of age at the time of the attack. Now she would be twenty. Long dark hair. Fair skin. Blue eyes. Born in London, England. Her mother died about five years ago and she was living with her brother and step-father before she was attacked."
Alex, Toby, and Jim all looked at Julie as if she was crazy. Did they seriously think she would come to a fresh crime scene with no information at all? She had the basic background of the girl but she was missing the girl's character and reason for why someone would want to kill her. Had she done something? Been involved with a group that wasn't excatly friendly? She needed more details about the girl's life. Did she have a boyfriend? Were there any other people who would possibly be a target? Did the girl even keep a diary?
Alex was the first to speak up after the shock had run its course, "Wow. Well seems like you know everything you need to know about her."
"Not excatly, Alex, I need more information. What was your sister's character like?"
"Her character?"
"Yes, that will help me alot."
"Well, Ashley was just a normal teenager I guess. She was a nice person. Very respectful. But she had her moments. She was a strong person and stood up for what she believed in. She was a Christian thanks to my mother. I never did get into that stuff though. But I mean she was just Ashley. Guess she wasn't so normal really."
Thank you Lord, at least if this girl is not found alive the family can take comfort in the fact she is with You. Well except her brother, Alex. Why would he not be interested in You, Father? Maybe I can reach him. Lord give me the words to speak.
"Seems like your sister was something special."
"Yes, she was and still is," exclaimed Toby. Ironic. He hadn't spoken yet. Julie pulled out her notebook to jot down a few notes about Ashley. She then turned to talk to Toby.
"And who are you again?"
"I'm Toby, Ashley's boyfriend."
So the girl did have a boyfriend. Well at least he was standing in front of her instead of being back in London where she would of had to track him down as well. His name was going to have to go on a list of possible targets.
"Ah, so Ashley had a boyfriend. What can you tell me about her?"
"Well," Toby started to say but it looked as if he was having a hard time talking, "Ashley wasn't like most girls. She was a survier. I don't think I have ever met another girl who had gone through so much and was still filled with life."
Julie couldn't believe what she was hearing. This guy apparently cared deeply for this Ashley girl.
Lord, there will be so many tears shed if this girl is not found alive. I don't know if i'm ready for something like this. Help me, Father.
Julie wrote a few more notes down about Toby and Alex and then turned to the third guy. From what she had remembered Alex telling her this guy's name would be Jim.
"And what about you, Jim? What was your relationship like with Ashley?"
Jim stopped and thought about his answer first then turned to Julie to speak.
"Guess my relationship with Ashley was more like Alex's. She was like a little sister to me. A sweet girl. She wasn't involed with much. Mostly just liked to hang out with her friends and live life. She did like to write though."
Okay they were finally getting somewhere. So Ashley was a writer. She probably had a diary right?
"She was a writer? Did she have a diary of some sort?"
"Yeah," Alex started to say, "But how can that help us?"
"Well a diary is used to keep the thoughts and secrets of a girl. Her dreams and fears. Her diary could hold loads of information for us."
Did these guys really not think to check a place like a diary? For all they knew this girl could have stated the person who kid-napped her and where they were taking her in her diary and these guys were still sitting around the table clueless. Julie was going to have to teach these guys the art of hunting someone down before this was all over. But first thing first. She needed to see Ashley Stephen's diary.


"It's been three days, Jim!"
Alex was not happy about how the search had been going. This Julie woman was not getting them anywhere. All she did was sit at the table and read his sister's diary. It felt wrong at first to give it to her but he didn't have much of a choice did he? If Ashley had really given anything away, like Julie thought, in her diary then this man hunt would be ended soon, right? But no. It had been three days and all Julie had done was read and re-read Ashley's diary as if it was the next best seller.
"Calm down, Alex, Julie knows what she is doing."
"If I didn't know any better, Jim, I'd say you liked Julie."
Alex had noticed how Jim had been acting lately around Julie. Always wanting to help her in any way or seeing if she needed anything. Sometimes Jim was even flirting a little with Julie.
"Nah man, it's not like that. I'm just trying to make sure that Julie is doing everything she can to help us find Ashley. How could you even think something like that?"
"You're the one who is always around her."
The door swung open and Julie stepped through the door.
"Hey, Jim, can you help me for a minute with something?"
"Oh yeah sure Julie, on my way."
"Thanks."
She turned away from them and walked back through the door.
"Yeah, Jim, its nothing like that."
"Whatever man. Not like you called dibbs on her or anything."
"Fine. Get out of here. Go join your girlfriend. I need to think anyways."
Jim shook his head and walked after Julie to help her. After he left the room Alex started realizing that maybe Julie would be good for Jim. To be honest, Ashley would just go back with Toby after all this was over. Four years hadn't changed Toby's feelings. It wasn't likely that Ashley's feelings had changed either over four years. Four years. The years had never really settled in with Alex.
He still saw his sister as the sixteen year old. What was his sister like now? She was twenty years old, an adult. Sure she hadn't changed that much. After all she hadn't even finished school so she wouldn't act any different. Would she? He had never even sat down to think about how different his sister would be. She was probably anger with them because they hadn't found her yet. How would she even react the first time she saw him again?
Alex's thoughts were distracted by his dream he had had that last night. It was just like the rest of the dreams. He was running down some long, never ending hall way and could hear his sister scream for help. Her shrill screams were what had woken him up a little past midnight sweating again. And now her screams were haunting him through the day. He really needed to get out and just walk away from all the searching for a little bit. Maybe he should go by the small creek that ran through his step-dad's land. It was quiet there and peaceful. That's excatly what he needed.
Alex got up from where he had been sitting in the living room for over and hour and headed out the back door.

Prologue: This Is Just The Begining

Shattered glass sprung across the kitchen floor as sixteen year old Ashley Stephens ducked under the counter. How had they found her here? She had been thrown away into hiding by her older brother and step-father in some mansion out in the middle of some state of which she still did not know the name. Having lived in London, England most of her life, she paid little attention to the United States and therefore was left with little of where excatly she was. But no matter she had been found and now was forced to find away out of this mess seeing her brother and step-father were of no use to her while they were in town. The mansion was suppose to be safe enough to keep people far from finding her. But with a little determination and much thought about her step-father there was sure to be some way of finding her.
Jesus, please, deliever me from this. I don't know what to do. Show me Your way.
Taking a chance at running, Ashley jumped to her feet and out from under the counter to run into the office which was only a few more strides away from her. In the office was the panic room her brother had installed for her if ever she was scared and he wasn't around to protect her. She had never thought to use it before but in this case it seemed like the best place to hide for now. Her hand reached out and tried to grab the door handle when another loud crack came from the window. Glass went everyone and Ashley went back on the ground.
A stricking pain was coming from her shoulder. Had she been hit? She reached to grab at her right arm and then felt the flow of blood on her finger tips. Laying there in glass with a gun shot wound wasn't excatly what Ashley had in mind for the day. Seeing that she was going to be alone today in a huge house Ashley had decided on spending the day just enjoying the silence. She would then call her boyfriend, Toby, and catch up on things with him. She had missed him terribly and couldn't wait to see him again. He had been upset that she had to run and hide without even the slightest clue where she was going. But none the less he understood and told her he would be praying for her safety and wishing her back with him every day. It had been a few days since they last spoke and she was looking forward to another conversation with him.
The pain in her shoulder had almost been forgotten when she started thinking of Toby but when she attempted to crawl towards the door, anxious to reach a phone to hear Toby's voice, a sharp piece of glass cut into the spot where the bullet had hit and left her in even more pain.
Father, save me from this pain, I can't bear it any longer.
Her shoulder began to relax and the pain left her body. But she was still in danger. She shifted her body weight to her other side leaving the hurt arm with no weight and therefore being able to move.
A door slammed in the distance.
Her crawling speed up and she was at the door. When her hand reached up to grab the door knob again a familiar voice spoke behind her.
"If you want to live, Miss Stephens, I suggest you put your hand back down."
How many times had she heard that voice? Hear it and then tembled in fear. For goodness sake she was only sixteen. Why did this guy continue to hunt her? As if he would not be happy until she was dead. Well if he wanted her dead why waste time now?
Ashley slipped her hand down and used it instead to push herself over so she could see behind her. There he was. The same man who had been looking and hunting her for nearly a year now. Ever since her mother's death. She looked into the eyes that had haunted her dreams and saw the face who was the star of her nightmares. He had never looked more frightening before this moment when she knew that this could be the last breath she took.
Her thoughts flew to her family and Toby. How sad they would be and how anger as well. She knew the drill. If ever she felt even the slightest of danger she was to run, no sprint, to the panic room and wait for the problem to be dealt with. Why when she senced something was wrong earlier did she not run off to safety? She could at least help her family out a little bit by remembering what to do in a crisis. Now here she was about to die.
"You think I'm going to kill you, don't you Ashley?"
That was the first time he had addressed her as Ashley. He usually liked to tease her and use proper names such as Miss Stephens. How she strongly disliked this man. She simply nodded at his question and then flinched at the smile which appeared on his face.
"Oh, Miss Stephens, how you are terribly wrong. Joe, why don't you tell our dear friend Ashley what excatly we will be doing to her as we take her back to the truck. Alright, lets go boys."
And with that Joe threw a punch at Ashley's face leaving her swimming in darkness.


Alex sat in the car as he and his step-dad drove back to the mansion. They were on the dirt road driveway now and for some reason Alex was even more anxious to see Ashley then usually. She was probably tucked away in her room, either reading another book or talking aimlessly on the phone with her boyfriend, Toby. Alex didn't approve the relationship at all because for one thing Toby was nearly three years older than Ashley. Closer to his age then her own. And second because of the way Toby looked at his sister. As if he thought he was going to marry her. How could he even imagine such things when she was still in highschool? None the less their step-father did not help him at all. He enjoyed Toby's prensence and believed it to be the only thing keeping Ashley sane through all this chaos going on around her to keep her safe. Still though, Alex didn't like him one bit.
But he couldn't help and take in consideration that his step-father had a good point. Ah, so long had it been that Bill, Alex and Ashley's step-father, had entered their life. Alex had merely been four years old when Bill married his mother while she was eight months pregnant with Ashley. How sad it was to him, that Ashley never got to meet her birth father. Not that she missed much. The man didn't have much to say and Alex had long forgotten to even mention him as their father. Yet it did also seem odd that Bill would marry his mom even though she was already pregnant. Sure did look like the shot gun wedding people sometimes see.
Even so Bill had been a wonderful father to him and to his sister Ashley even after there mother had died nearly a year ago. He kept a watchful eye on Ashley, keeping her from trouble, until this hunt came to be about. Alex still remember that night. It had been one of the worst night of his life.
Alex and Ashley were extremely close. Even with their four year difference they were still tied together like a magnet. Or really Alex was tied to Ashley while she ran around looking for trouble then always leaning back on him to bail her out. He left the house at eighteen, deciding that his mother and Bill would be able to handle Ashley. It seemed like he had only left the house maybe for a few months when he got that call that changed his life. It was Bill and also three o'clock in the morning. He had woken up in the middle of the night from a nightmare and needing some fresh air. Not even turning to glance at his wife, afraid of waking her, he turning to their balcony and opened the french doors so the wind could blow through. On his way back to the bed is when he noticed she wasn't moving. At all. He reached for her shoulder but as he did he felt the warm sticky liquid on her neck. Someone had slit her throat. It killed Alex to see how this affected Ashley. She was only fourteen at the time.
A few months later, and two weeks after Ashley's birthday, is when the hunt began. Alex had moved back home to help Bill with raising Ashley who was now fifteen while he was nearly nineteen. It had been a warm day in London which was rare so all three of them decided it was best to visit the grave yard. While they stood in silence, Ashley standing closet, Alex noticed a red dot shine on the back of Ashley's head. He had felt an anxious feeling in the pit of his stomache, which ususally came whenever Ashley was in trouble. Acting on pure impulse he grabbed Ashley's waste and pulled her to the grown just in time that the shooter missed. They were under attack.
It had been over a year now since the first threat against Ashley and Alex was starting to feel that anxious feeling in his stomache again. Something was desperately wrong. Bill stopped the car right infront of the front door and Alex couldn't seem to move fast enough. He swung the door open not even bothering to close it and got a worried "What's going on?" from his step-father. He would have to explain later. Right now he needed to find Ashley and fast. The moment he opened the door to the mansion they were staying at he ran straight towards the stairs and too her room. Swinging this door opened at full force he found the room empty and ran back down the stairs. Maybe she was in the kitchen.
He reached the kitchen door but that was when he froze. Glass was everwhere and two of the windows in the room were completely gone. No, this could not be happening. Was some one in the house now? Maybe Ashley had made it to the panic room and was waiting for him to retrieve her to take her to a new location. He ran through the kitchen, stepping on a bullet casing and then realized that Ashley could be hurt. Thats when the blood finally became visible. Spilled on parts of the glass that was lying by the office door. So she must have made it to the panic room right?
Wrong. The door was still closed to the office and from the bloody hand print he saw on the door knob it did not seem she ever had opened the door.
He had lost his sister? She had been taken away from him? Ashley was now in trouble, probably hurting from being shot, and most likely confused more than ever. She could even be...But he would not let that thought complete. There was no way that she could be anything less than alive. Yes, Ashley was still alive. But no where to be found and no way of finding her again. No he wouldn't let himself think it was impossible. Anything was possible right? Besides he owed that to Ashley. He had always been her protector and now more than ever he was going to have to fufill that promise he had made to her, hoping he would never have to.
Yes, Ashley, no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes him, if someone was ever to take Alex Stephen's little sister, he would find her again.

A NEW BOOK!

OKAY! so for anyone who actually reads this stuff.
I'M STARTING A NEW BOOK.
why?
because well...
1-I can.
2- I've been having problems with Remember Me

NOW...this doesn't mean I will never go back and finish Remember Me. But for now it has been put on hold. Therefore I have given you all something new to read and enjoy!
HERE it is my new book...

All Because of You

(ps. the title is not excatly determinded to be All Because of You but for now this is what its going to be called. When or If i think of something better then i will change it!)

THANKS FOR READING=]]