Too Blind to See It!

“Phoebe! Phoebe, what’s wrong?” I asked panic stricken into my phone.
 
“I think they slipped something in my drink. I don’t know for sure, I just can’t keep my eyes open?”
 
“Did someone drug you? Where are you?”
 
“I screwed up Jenna. I screwed up,” she replied not answering my question.
 
“Phoebe honey, you have to tell me where you are.” About that time Zach came back in the room and pulled on his jeans, listening intently to my call after sensing the urgency in my voice.
 
“It’s Marco. I’m with his band.” Phoebe’s voice died out, making my heart sink in my chest, then she whispered, “No Jenna, you can’t come here. You can’t see me like this.”
 
“Phoebe,” I screamed into the phone, scared to death she was going to hang up. Zach looked as terrified as I did.  “Phoebe, don’t you dare hang up.”
 
“I’m sorry Jenna. I didn’t mean to disappoint you.”
 
“Stop, stop saying that. You don’t disappoint me Pheebs. I’m here with Zach. Tell me where you are, and we’ll come and get you.”
 
“I need you Jenna. I can’t leave.” Each and every word was more drawn out, so that I could hardly tell what she was saying. I was cursing myself for not answering the phone sooner.
 
“What do you mean you can’t leave?” I couldn’t even imagine where she was, and what they’d done to her or were going to do.
 
"I can't feel my legs Jenn…"
 
"Phoebe!" I screamed into the phone terrified. Zach jumped to my side. "What's going on?" he asked eyes wide. I heard Phoebe moan and then a sound I imagine was her phone crashing down as if it hit the floor. "Phoebe!” I screamed again and burst into tears when she didn't answer.
 
Zach grabbed me firmly by the arms "What did she say?… Jenna! This is no time to break down. What's wrong with Phoebe?"
 
"I think she was drugged Zach. She's with this guy Marco and his band." I went on to explain how her voice was groggy and I think she passed out at the end of the call. He drilled me for specifics that I didn't have. "I'd tell you Zach. If she said anything about  where she was, I'd tell you." I was getting flustered. I didn't have the answers he wanted, the answers that would help us find my best friend.
 
Zach took the phone from my hand, while I racked my brain, trying to think of something, anything that would give me a clue as to where she was.
 
"Did you read this text Jenna? This one here, from Phoebe?" I took the phone from Zach. "No, I didn’t notice a text. It looks like an address." I handed it back to him.
 
"It looks like Phoebe texted this too you before she passed out." He pulled me in tightly soothing me for just a second. "She's a smart girl Jenna. She knew she was in trouble."
 
I was a mess, a royal mess, scared to death that she was going to be hurt in some way, and practically unable to move. But Zach was calm, cool and collected. He pulled his own phone out, dialed a number and put it to his ear, while he looked around the room for his shirt. "Travis I need your help." His voice wasn't panicked like mine would have been. "I don't care if you're sleeping, this is important.  It's Phoebe, she's in trouble…I don't know, but we think someone slipped her something. She passed out while she was on the phone with Jenna…I don't know if she's OK, I honestly have no idea what kind of trouble she's in, but I'd like to have some back up if I'm going to get her…OK ten minutes."
 
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” The fact that he asked for help was a good thing, it was who he asked that concerned me.
 
“Don’t under estimate his feelings for her Jenna. Believe me he’s the right person to bring.” I trusted Zach, and he knew Travis far better than I did, so I was willing to take Zach’s word for it.
 
Minutes later I was dressed, my hair pulled into a ponytail and ready to go. I just finished getting dressed, when Zach spoke again. "Jenna, I think you should stay here."
 
"What? No. No way. She's my best friend."
 
"OK, but promise me. Promise you won't argue with me. When we get there, I need to you wait in the car." I tried to protest, but he stopped me. “Come on Jenna. I have no idea what we are getting into. We need to think about Phoebe and getting her out of there. How can I do that if I’m worried about you too?”  How could I argue. I didn't even have to ask him to go get her, he just decided on his own. He was doing this for me.
 
If that didn't make him my Prince Charming, I don't know what would.
 
****
 
I guess I was expecting an abandoned warehouse with broken windows in a crime ridden neighborhood. Instead the GPS lead us to a renovated upscale warehouse apartment building in a trendy upper-class neighborhood. I kept my promise and remained in the car while Zach and Travis went in looking for Phoebe. Of course I couldn't let Zach walk away from me, into harm’s way without one of those torrid kisses that you see in the movies, the ones that the damsel in distress gives the hero as he's about to walk into battle. Maybe the analogy was a stretch, but I've always had a flair for the dramatic. Zach looked at me as we parted, "I'll take one of those when I get back."
 
I waited patiently trying not to worry about Pheebs, and the trouble I'd just sent Zach and his best friend into. I couldn't help but speculate on Travis's motives. By all accounts he hated Phoebe yet here he was putting himself out there to save her. Even in my extreme worry for my best friend, I couldn't deny my hopes that Travis's willingness to help meant he felt more for her then he'd let on. Time ticked by. Minutes felt like hours, and after twenty minutes I was squirming in the front seat of Zach's SUV, my eyes locked on the door they'd entered. Within minutes I saw the door open again and out came Zach and Travis carrying Phoebe wrapped in blankets. I flew out of the car toward them. "Oh my God Zach. Is she OK?"  Phoebe laid in Travis's arms eyes closed and unconscious. Call me stupid or naive, but I didn't know, was she sleeping, unconscious, was she dead? I trembled at the thought. Travis settled into the back seat keeping Phoebe wrapped in his arms. He looked panic stricken. I hadn't ever seen him like that before. "What's wrong with her Zach?" I asked as he pulled me into his arms. His embrace soothed me slightly. "She seems to be breathing Ok, but she hasn't woken up at all. We need to get her to the emergency room." He got me into the car before I realized what he was saying.
 
"NO! No, we can't take her to the ER, not unless it's absolutely necessary. Is it Zach? Do we have any other options?"
 
"Jenna, it's the best place for her. What's going on?"
 
Travis and Zach listened intently while I explained the dilemma Phoebe dealt with her whole life, the dilemma of who her father was. That if word of what happened to her leaked out, it would be a huge scandal for her father, who was not only one of the richest men in the country, but had all kinds of political connections in the state of New York. Her parents would disown her, and the world would know who she was, who her father was and she'd lose all the anonymity she'd worked so hard to have. I looked at Zach with pleading eyes hoping there would be another option.  "I don't want to risk her life Zach, but if there is any other option, she'd kill me for not trying that first."
 
"Chuck!" Travis said from the back seat, and I noticed him stroking Phoebe's hair, worry strewn on his face.
 
I didn't get the chance to ask who Chuck was before Zach was speeding back toward our building and trying to reach Chuck to on his cell phone. I looked back at Travis for more information and the look was all he needed before he explained that Chuck was the team doctor, that he's not only the guy who checks them out when they get slammed into the boards too hard, but also took care of Clarkson when he got the Clap a couple months back and diagnosed Marty with Clinical Depression after everything went down with his wife. "He's been with the team forever. Chuck's a good guy and he keeps our business private," Travis explained, easing some of my anxiety.
 
I had no choice but to trust them, if it meant getting Pheebs better without taking her to the hospital. Chuck was actually waiting for us at Zach's apartment when we got there. Travis carried her in, but Zach held me back. "Let Travis do this," he instructed.
 
"She's my best friend Zach."
 
"Please Jenna," he said, but he wasn't giving me a choice. His arm snaked around my waist and he was physically moving me backward. I was angry and felt completely out of control, and I know he could sense it, by how I struggled against him as he moved me to the living room. I huffed as he pulled me on to his lap on his single recliner trying to hold me and sooth me. Not an easy task.
 
"What if they need her medical history?" I sulked.
 
"Then they will come and get you. Jenna look at me. Travis was there. He saw what happened. The doctor is going to need to know that stuff first."
 
While I wasn't happy about it, I knew he was right. "What happened Zach?"
 
Placing his fingers under my chin, he moved my head so I looked at him. "You don't want to know."
 
"I do want to know. She's my best friend!" I snipped.
 
"Jenna, you may want to know, but if I know anything at all about Phoebe, she does not want you to know." I wanted to remove myself from his lap, but when I tried to sit up he pulled me back and gave me a little laugh.
 
"You aren't going anywhere. You're going to stay right here with me until the doc comes out.” His tone was teasing so it set me at ease a bit. I pouted at him again before I let him pull me against him.  “I’ll tell you this though, you should have seen Travis. I’ve never seen him so mad in my life, not even at Jordan Staal that day with all the drama. I thought he was going to kill those guys. Seriously Jenna, I think he would have if anyone gave us trouble.”
 
“So they didn’t? They didn’t give you any trouble.”
 
“I think maybe they were too high, stoned out of their mind. I’m kind of glad actually, they were pretty big guys. How did she get herself wrapped up with men like that?”
 
“I wish I could give you explanations for half the things Phoebe does. She’s so busy being a bad girl, that she makes stupid decisions. I always worried that something like this would happen to her. Thank God for you and Travis. What would I have done if it wasn’t for you?”
 
“Travis loves her Jenna.” His words caught me by surprise, maybe the only good thing I’d heard since we left to go get her. “He said it. When we found her, we couldn’t tell if she was alive or dead. Travis wrapped her in the blankets and begged her to be OK. He told her he loved her, and he was going to take care of her.”
 
“I just hope when or dear God if she wakes up, he tells her again.”
 
“Stop, it’s not like you to think negatively baby. She’s gonna be fine, and you need to stay positive. She’s going to need you that way when she wakes up.”
 
“Zach I know you don’t want to tell me what happened, but do you know…did they…did they rape her?”
 
His arms tightened around me. “I don’t think so, but I can’t be sure.” Tears trickled down my face while Zach just sat with me and held me. Even though I knew he was keeping details from me, I knew why he was doing it and I couldn’t help but respect him for that.  We sat in his recliner for a few more minutes before the doctor came out. Zach and I both jumped to attention waiting to hear what he had to say.
 
The doctor, Chuck as Zach had been calling him, was an attractive older man. He was well dressed, complete with a Rolex watch. He had dark eyes that were serious looking and his grey hair was short revealing the lines in his forehead, obviously caused by the stress of the evening. “It looks like your friend had a bad reaction to GHB. It’s a pretty common date rape drug. Her vitals are strong, which is a good sign that she’s not going to have any lasting side effects, but she’s going to have one hell of a headache in the morning. She’s a very lucky girl, there were no signs of rape.” I was so relieved to hear that. The doctor’s eyes met and held mine. “But that doesn’t mean she’s not going to be affected by this. That young lady needs to take a hard look at her life style and make some big changes. I hope that you…” His eyes squinted almost accusatory toward me.
 
Zach stepped between me and the doctor, knowing how awkward he was making me feel. “I’m sorry that I didn’t get the chance to properly introduce you. Chuck this is Jenna. Jenna’s my girlfriend.” Zach looked over his shoulder at me with a smile and turned so he could put his arm around me. “They’re friends Chuck, but Jenna’s nothing like Phoebe.”
 
“Please excuse my presumption, but I can’t say I’m not relieved to hear differently. My first priority is to these boys; I hope you understand. It’s a pleasure meeting you Jenna, I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances.” He reached out his hand and I took it, letting him give me a firm hand shake. His eyes softened a bit helping to ease the fear like feelings he’d instilled in me. “Phoebe is going to need to stay put, I’d rather see her in the hospital, but from what Travis says, it’s not an option. Someone is going to need to be with her for at least the next 24 hours. Do you think between you two and Travis, you can handle that?” We both nodded our agreement. “I’ll be back in the morning, to check on her, and I’m going to bring a morning after pill, just in case. Of course it’s her decision if she wants or needs to take it.” He was quiet as he headed toward the door, grabbing his coat on his way out. Just as he was about to step through the door he turned and looked at Zach. “You did the right thing calling me Zach. She’s going to be fine. Travis is with her so you should both get some rest.” He closed the door leaving Zach and I standing in the hallway.
 
“We really should get some sleep. I don’t think wild horses would get Travis away from her right now. We can crash at your place. If you don’t mind sharing a bed with me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me making me giggle.
 
“I guess I can put up with you for one night,” I teased, feeling relieved that he’d be sleeping beside me tonight. “but I just need to see Pheebs before we go, OK?”
 
I opened the door to Zach’s bedroom, “Travis,” I whispered. The room was dark almost black. “Are you awake?”
 
“I’m awake. I can’t sleep with her like this.” As my eyes adjusted to the dark room I could see Phoebe’s form lying under Zach’s silver comforter, and Travis held her tight to his chest. “She’s going to be ok right Jenna? Did Chuck say anything?”
 
I sat down on the edge of the bed and put my hand on his arm. “He said she’s going to be OK. We just need to be with her for the next day or so.”
 
“I’m not going anywhere.”
 
“I’m very glad to hear it. Thank you for being here for her Travis.”
 
“I love her. Where else could I be?”
 
“You need to tell her that.”
 
“Yeah? You really think she wants to hear that…from me…after all those horrible things I said to her?”
 
“I think she needs to hear it Travis. You need to tell her.” I got up from the bed, but leaned down and kissed the back of Phoebe’s head. “Zach and I are going to my place to sleep. Unless you want me to stay. I don’t mind.”
 
“No. Go. I’ll be fine here with her.”

I thanked him one last time. I wasn’t specific with my gratitude, because it would have been awkward, but I wanted to thank him for coming to Phoebe’s rescue, but even more than that, I wanted to thank him for loving her, and for meaning it. There was no doubt in my mind that he meant it. He loved her. And that is what Phoebe needed, more than anything, she needed LOVE.
 
**** Zach’s POV
 
Jenna met me in her bedroom, where I’d already stripped down to my boxers waiting for her my head in my hands exhausted from the extreme highs and lows of the day. I looked up at her to see she was smiling. God I love her smile. Still it seemed like odd timing. “What’s up?” I asked.
 
She walked over to me, placed her hands flat on my chest, then slid them upward hooking them behind my neck. “Travis just admitted he loves her. I know you said he said it, but I got to hear it this time.” She placed a soft kiss against my lips. “But if you want to know why I’m smiling, it could also have something to do with the beautiful mostly naked man sitting on my bed.”
 
“Now I thought we discussed this. You have to stop calling me beautiful.”
 
“No, the agreement was that I wasn’t allowed to say it in front of anyone else.  I don’t see anyone else here.” She kicked her shoes off and knelt on the bed behind me, letting her hands roam my chest again from behind this time. “There’s no one here but you and me,” she whispered into my ear. I was painfully aware of that fact, so much so that I was constantly reminding myself to maintain control.
 
Jenna had no idea what she did to me. To her she was simply rubbing my chest, but she might have well been reaching inside my boxers, it was such a turn on. Her lips against my ear were enough to make me hard as it was. I closed my eyes tightly glad she was behind me so she couldn’t see the lust behind my eyes. “Let’s get you ready for bed. Where’s that Devils shirt, the really old one?”  She sent me looking through her top drawer. I smirked when I saw it. Someday I wanted to see her completely naked wearing nothing but my jersey, but for now, I’d make do with this. I met her at the bed, where she still sat on her knees. I lifted her sweatshirt over her head, realizing the dangerous territory I was approaching.  She smiled up at me biting her lip, a sign of how self conscious she was. If she had any idea how beautiful she was, how perfect, how hard it was for me to do this without touching her, she’d probably run from the room.  I reached behind her and unfastened the clips of her bra. My eyes never left hers, but it was like torture not looking at her amazing body as I pulled the piece of lingerie from her skin. My cock twitched, but I managed to pull the t-shirt over her head covering her before my body took complete control.
 
She laughed when I pushed her back on the bed and tugged at her sweats, leaving her in just the old red Devils shirt and her pretty lace panties. Hearing her laugh after everything that happened with Phoebe that evening was music to my ears. It was so hard to believe that mere hours ago we were here touching each other, exploring each other’s bodies. I had to consciously move those thoughts out of my mind. I was going to be sleeping in bed with her all night after all. I somehow got all the dirty thoughts from my mind and held her against me in the dark room. I placed a kiss on her forehead, expecting her to fall asleep in seconds. Her sweet voice almost startled me when she spoke. “Thank you Zach.”
 
“For what?”
 
“For what you did for Pheebs tonight.” She looked up in my eyes. She was breathtaking in the moonlight. It was one of those moments where I wanted to pinch myself to see if it was all real. “She’s my best friend Zach, but she’s way more than that. I don’t know what I would have done…”
 
“Shhhh,” I said silencing her, then placed my lips on hers in a sweet romantic kiss. I wanted to tell her that I’d always be there for her. That I would always be there to help her when she needed me, but I didn’t. I let the kiss say it for me, and I hoped I wouldn’t scare her away. I didn’t want to push her, or make our relationship move to fast. I wanted everything to be perfect for her. I wanted to be perfect for her.
 
“Zach,” she said softly after a few minutes of silence.
 
“Yeah baby,” I cooed, just about ready to doze off myself.
 
“I love you.”
 
My arms tightened around her and my heart thumped in my chest. Thank God she felt the same way about me.  “I love you too baby. I love you too.”