Our Perfect Insanity

ChApTeR NiNe

“The candle burns not for us, but for all those whom we failed to rescue from prison, who were shot on the way to prison, who were tortured, who were kidnapped, who "disappeared". That's what the candle is for.”
~Peter Benenson

I sighed as Kathryn pulled away from me, just as a nurse walked inside, smiling gently over at the two of us.

Her smile looked forced, and I knew it was, as she most likely didn't enjoy looking after patients day after day and having to be ‘cheerful’ to every one of them.

"Hello, I'm Janet… uhm, you are being discharged, the wounds in your back were pretty severe, but, you are making a quick recovery. You should be alright, just attempt not to strain yourself too much." The nurse said.

Her words came out quickly, as though she wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible, which she probably did.

She walked over to the bed and handed me the clothes that I had arrived in yesterday, they were washed, and the rips in that back of the shirt were hastily and messily sewn up.

I sighed, and looked over at Kathryn, who nodded wordlessly and stepped out of the room, so that I could get changed.

I was a little worried that Ariel might attack Kathryn while she was outside, so I quickly changed into my clothes, wincing as I did so, and then walked out of the room to find Kathryn waiting for me.

She smiled weakly at me and laced her fingers with mine.

"We should go get June now... and leave. I don't really like hospitals." Kathryn told me, and I nodded my head, smiling slightly at her.

"Neither do I. Oh, and you should stay with June and I, just so that you're safe from Ariel." I told Kathryn, and she nodded.

“I’ll have to call Sylvia though, once we get to your place. I’ll have her stay over at a friend’s house until we get this all sorted out.” Kathryn said.

Sylvia Bell was Kathryn’s sixteen year old daughter, her father was unknown, though I knew that he was currently in prison for murder I believe.

I nodded, and Kathryn smiled slightly as we walked down the hall towards where June was with the nurse.

"I believe this was the room that they had June in..." Kathryn said, reaching out and gently turning the door handle.

She opened it and we saw the nurse in the room, holding June in her arms as she looked out a window.

"Excuse me-"

I stopped talking as the nurse turned around.

Instantly I was filled with dread and fear as I recognized her.

"You... I swear to God, Ariel, if you hurt her-"

I was cut off as Ariel laughed, watching me with evil amusement in her eyes as she held her hand over June's mouth, keeping my daughter from crying.

Ariel was wearing a nurse outfit, as a disguise, no wonder she had gotten the other nurse to let her take June.

"Oh, but... this is all of my plan, darling. With poor little June here, out of the way, you'll finally be mine..." Ariel said, before she swung her leg over the windowsill, preparing to jump out, taking my young daughter with her.

"Wait!" I cried, and Ariel paused, looking over at me with a small smirk on her lips.

"Yes, Jonathan?" She inquired, and I took a deep breath.

"Please, Ariel, don't take her. Please..." I begged, and Ariel just smiled evilly, a devilish light in her eyes as she looked out the window and down to the ground.

"You want her? Come find her." She said, and then jumped.

"No!" I exclaimed, running to the window and leaning out of it, looking down to the ground in horror. Ariel was gone, and so was June.

Ariel was kidnapping June, not killing her... not yet at least. I knew she was planning to, she probably didn't expect me to find her.

"Jonathan, I'm so sorry-" I cut Kathryn off, raising a hand to silence her.

"Its alright, Kathryn, it wasn't your fault." I said, and turned to pull her towards me in a hug.

I knew Ariel had seen Kathryn kiss me, I knew she was angry. I knew she was going to go after Kathryn, after she had killed June, but.. I couldn't let that happen.

I couldn't let Ariel kill June, nor could I let her kill Kathryn.

"We need to get back to my house, maybe Ariel left a clue, or something, something that could help us find June." I said, looking down at Kathryn.

She looked up at me and gave me a small smile, stepping back and placing her hands on my shoulders.

"It'll be alright, John. We'll figure out a way to stop her, to end this all. It'll be okay." Kathryn assured me, and I nodded my head, sighing heavily.

"I hope you're right, Kathryn, I really do. I just... I don't want to see my daughter killed, and I don't want to see you killed." I told her, and she smiled, reaching up to gently kiss me, before hugging me tightly.

"It'll be okay. Now, come on, lets go." She said, lacing her fingers with mine again and leading me out of the hospital.

We checked out and walked into the sun, wincing as the bright light hit our eyes. I looked around, hoping to find a glimpse of either Ariel of June, but there was nothing.

Kathryn climbed into her car, and I climbed into the passenger seat as Kathryn reached forwards and put the key in the ignition, but, paused before she turned it.

"What's wrong?" I asked, and Kathryn hesitated, before looking over at me and frowning.

"What if Ariel rigged my car? What if, when I start it, it blows up or something?" Kathryn asked, and I bit my lip, knowing that Kathryn was smart, and even though something like that seemed like it would only happen in movies, she could be right.

"I don't think so. She doesn't want me dead, Kathryn, so, if the car blew up, it would kill both of us. So, I don't think she rigged it." I said, and Kathryn nodded.

She took a deep breath before turning the key, and both of us flinched, though nothing happened.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I leaned back in my chair and rested my head, closing my eyes. I was tired, that much was true, and I was scared.

What would happen if we didn't find Ariel and June in time? I would lose my daughter. Ariel was taking everyone away from me.

"Daddy..." A voice whispered, and I opened my eyes, finding myself to be in a room that was completely unfamiliar to me.

I sat up, looking around, but everything was pitch black.

"Hello? Who's there?" I called out, looking around the dark room, knowing that I had heard a voice.

"Daddy..." The voice whispered again, and I froze, turning to see June standing behind me.

She smiled at me, though she looked different. She was wearing a white, silk dress, that made her look inhumanly pale, and her eyes looked darker then normal.

"June? June, sweetheart, are you alright?" I asked, taking a step forwards, but freezing as I saw that there was someone else, standing behind June.

"Ariel? What have you done to her?" I growled, letting anger and rage seep into my voice.

Ariel smiled sweetly at me, and placed a gentle hand on my daughter's head.

"I've done nothing to her, Jonathan. But, I will, if you don't hurry up and find her... your time is ticking away, Jonathan." Ariel said, and everything faded to black.

I sat up, breathing heavily. I looked around me, to find that I was still sitting in the car, Kathryn looking over at me, worried. I sighed, wiping my eyes as I gave a small smile, trying to assure her that I was alright.

"Are you okay, Jonathan?" Kathryn asked me, worry in her tone. I smiled again, running a hand through my hair.

"I'm fine. It was just a nightmare." I told her, and her eyes saddened.

"It was about Ariel, wasn't it?" She asked, and sighed when I didn't reply.

"Come on, Jonathan, we're here. Let's get inside." Kathryn told me, and I nodded, climbing out of the car as she did the same.

"I'm scared, Kath." I said quietly, and Kathryn walked around the car to my side, taking my hand. She rested her head on my arm briefly and smiled up at me, trying to comfort me, but it wasn't working.

She sighed.

"I know, Jonathan. I'm scared too."