The week was so long. "I still can't get over we were right in them woods with a cool legend and we didn't even go check it out." Ryder said shaking his head. "Do you think it's real? Do you think maybe that is why you all Madame Cleo with the visions?" Dylan asked him. "Really bro?" Ace asked him with a chuckle. "Well I don't know we was both on the same boulder at one point and the other boulder is on his family property. I also like to think we are both good people. Maybe he is supposed to be my guardian angel like person." "You aint exactly one with nature though man. How do we explain that?" Nix asked him. "I honestly think Brently came to you because even though he really is one with nature. You are the only one powerful enough to help with anything you have been lately. No one else has, the man power, money or resources at their fingertips the way you do boss and that is the truth of it." Dylan told him simply.
"That maybe the only thing that makes sense also the fact we all owe him one for that damn bear. So maybe this your way of repaying the debt." "All good theories fact is never really going to be able to pin it down and get the full truth of it. So What we can do is see how we are on all the progress from the Tilman case and other projects." Xavier told them. "Well from my end all projects are on track. Most even under budget which is always awesome." Ace told him simply. "All charity and donations have been processed for the year. More are welcomed in a few months. We have no other legal cases except for Tilman. All permits, codes, licenses and the rest of that fun jazz are up to date and everything is filed with the state and federal guidelines we are waiting for some things to come in but they were approved. It's up to date." Ryder told him closing his notes.
"All security systems are fine normal fire wall stuff. Hackers keep trying but failing. No one has caused any scenes lately. All companies who were trying to pick arguments over petty things like contracts, fines or other little issues have actually stopped. They are making sure they have everything straight with you. This whole trail with Tilman has them all shook and spooked that you will pull all financial or any other support from them. After publicly cutting ties with three of those hot shot big companies it seemed to put everyone straight. Apparently it sems no one else wants to be sued so bad they go chapter 11 either. Also they will be under charges with the Dr. Whithers since they all wanted to act like the thousands of people being sick from the buildings materials and other harmful sources didn't harm others but mildly and or permanently." Nix added to that with a sarcastic surprised voice.
"I actually feel bad for Vincent right now he has such a mess. So many charges and so many different types of court now since this will open doors for different cases. Like the Whithers case is a whole other issue so now after he settles with Tilman's charges here he will have to go with a settlement suit." Ace told him looking up the case and articles online. "Well we aren't supposed to be talking about cases while they are ongoing. That being said Vincent really is having a hell of a time. Turns out Liam and Preston had to come get him from the bar last night. You know the whole happy hour Thursday thing he made for himself. Turns out he was able to get Eric off on a lot of things. It made him sick." Dylan told him with a shrug.
"What do you mean after everything in that box we found. They stole man form us re handed." Nix snapped at them. "Yes but it was never Erics signature on any of it. It was the upper higher end managements signature." Ryder told them in a plain soft voice as realization came across all of them. "That low son of a bitch. He made sure he couldn't be connected to any of it." Xavier said shaking his head. "There is nothing more that Vincent can do either. He was able to get all the blame on the upper management even when they testified on the stand that they were doing what they were told. They couldn't compete with Vincent lines of questioning. Such as if they felt wha they were doing was wrong why did they proceed with it. They had no documentation or proof that Eric made them do those things. They stole all those files on their own." Ace said to them before they all stood up to get ready to leave.
"Not only that it's caught on camera the upper managers paying off Whithers. So thanks to all this there is talk that the Whither family and the guy who paid them off is going to have the settlement case and have to leave the whole Tilman company out of it based on a just simple technicality. Vincent is a man who is so worth every little penny." Ace added as they were in the elevator. "Yeah no he has to deal with facing himself in the mirror because even though he did right by his job its not exactly ethically right." Xavier told him as he felt bad for the man now. "Not to mention his boss is just in love with him right now and that makes for a tense work environment since Vinny boy never wanted to work with Tilman in the first place. That was the only catch about moving here. If he was so against it like tooth and nail against why the hell would he still take it just to be here?" Ryder asked them.
"Well according to the group he needed something different he was drowning daily. I think that is true but I don't know if it alone was enough to get him to take the job other than it brought him back to be closer to certain ex-girlfriends who made him have to rethink his life choices." Dylan said while walking forward and out as the doors opened up. "You really think he would take a case like that just to try to get back with Ari?" Ryder asked him. "Hey for the right person there is no saying what someone is willing to do." Nix told him simply. "That is true." Xavier said adjusting himself. "Well let's just hurry up get back to my place and finish up these damn contracts we got two left than we can call it a week." AS they all agreed and headed back to his place.
*Ring* *Ring* *Ring* 'Hello?" A groggy Ari asked rubbing her eyes. "Hey Ari, it's Chris. Look I need you to me a favor." "Chris why are you calling me on this phone? Is everything ok?" "Ya, that's part of the favor. Look I need you to come get him. He's been passed out for like thirty minutes now and it's too hard to shake him awake. I would have called someone else but his phone had you on the screen and contact so I figured maybe he was about to reach out to you anyway." Chris said scratching the back of his neck. "Are you sure?" "I'm guessing. I really don't want to all Liam and Preston down here again for the second night in a row. Ari the man just had a really bad last few days this isn't like a problem or anything. I just need some help getting him home. Besides this started out as a work thing that just ended sour so can you make it down?" "Yeah Chris I'll get a cab I'm too tired to drive." She said getting up and getting dressed.
Walking through the bar door. He waved to her. She came up to look down at Vincent. "What the hell happened to him?" She asked one of their long time friends. Biting his lip he decided to hold back all the part where he spilled his heart out about missing Arabella but decided to tell the truth on how he got there earlier. "Well his boss made him and some others come in for a drink and quick work meeting. His boss left happy. He came over here and pounded down a few. It's the second time. His boss and others came in yesterday too. Liam and Preston came and got him last night. I know they are busy tonight so when I went to take his phone your contact screen was already up so I figured he may have been trying to call you. Here let me help you get him to the cab. It's not like time is getting any cheaper." He said as they both lifted him to the car.
"A-ari? What are you doing here. Let me buy you a drink." Vincent slurred not helping holding his own weight as they were outside. "Chris get our girl her usual and I'll have the same." "You had enough Vin." Chris said as he shoved him in the cab. Just get him home safely please." Chris said with a heavy sigh and a quick hug before he went back to Spades Bar. "Alrighty. Uh." "Where we going Miss?" "Um well hold on. Vincent what's your address?" "Ari what are you doing here?" "Vincent. HEY! Vinny what's your address?" For a brief minute hearing his old nickname sobered him up for one quick second looking in here eyes. "1014 Northwood Ave." He said before he tumbled back. "Ok got it." The older cab driver told them.
Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to a nice single story house. "Um you don't have to wait I'm not sure how long this will take how about I call you when I'm done?" "That would be fine ma'am I would help with him but I have a bad back." The man said in a remorseful tone. "It's fine. Thank you." Getting him to cooperate to leave the cab was easy getting him to stand and walk with here was like teaching him another language. "Vinny! I really need you to focus here. Now give me the keys." "Oh Arabella, sorry. Here." He gave them to here. "Have you been here long. I didn't mean to keep ou waiting." He added. With a long sigh she just decided to go with it. "No I wasn't waiting long. I came here with you from Spades.
"We came from Spades that sounds fun. Did we have a good time. I could go for a drink." "You've had enough there cowboy. Now let me shut the door. Ok Now where is your bedroom?" "Down the hall last room it's tight there." He told her as it took everything in both of them to get him there to his bed and she just as nice as she could shoved him on. "Ok." She said going to the kitchen for two bottles of water. "Here let's drink some of this first. She said helping him hold it steady as he drank one whole bottle. "That was really good. Let's have another." "Yeah we will in just a minute. Let's get your shoes and jacket off." Helping him out of them he was now holding himself a little better sitting on the end of the bed.
Going into the bathroom she went to get his aspirin and a wet wash cloth. "Alright give me this." She said taking his wrist and off his watch placing on his nightstand. "Take these two. Trust me it will help with later." He drank the whole bottle again as she cleaned his face and neck. "Ok. That's all I can do for you." Taking his phone and putting it on the charger. She was caught off guard when he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on the back of hers. "You still smell the same. I always loved your smell." He said as she just nicely tapped his arm. "Well thank you. Let's get back over here." She rested him on the side of the bed to tuck him. He got up quickly hugging his body around her waist. "I'm so sorry Arabella. I've really missed you over the time you been gone. It made rethink my whole life. You were right about everything. I was just to scared. I know you said it was ok to feel the way I did and I know that it was right to. But now. It just all feels so wrong because you're gone." He choked on a small sob.
"I need you so much this week. I've been through so much this week. I did my job perfectly. I did the right thing in the wrong way. Our system is so beyond help and corruption. Letting a monster run loose on stupid technicalities. It makes me sick. I had no choice Arabella." "I know Vinny it will be ok. One way or another they will catch that evil monster in the right way. He will slip up there is always a flaw in plan." She told him running her hands through his hair knowing how ethically this was eating him away from the inside out. He needed support. "How can I look people in the eye. The people he wronged on the street. I can't stand tall after this." "Everyone knows how hard you argued both sides. They know the truth. You are right you have no choice." She told him softly. "We are all behind you Vinny the whole town knows what's really going on. Nobody blames you for anything." She cooed to him giving him a nice hug from the position they were still in.
Turning his head to look up at her. "Do you blame me?" "I would never blame you for a trail like that." "Not Tilman Ari. About us do you blame me?" Looking down at him she realized she wasn't going to sugar coat it from him. "At first I did. I thought about all the time I wasted into a beautiful relationship just to have it end with us wanting different things. I thought we knew everything about each others wants and needs for the future. I didn't know how much you were really holding back. Than to sit there and think we had no real future anymore once certain choices were made clear they weren't choices for you. I was mad. Like why didn't you ever say anything earlier. Then I started to blame myself. Why didn't I voice out the kid and whole bigger picture future talk with you sooner. Why didn't I do more. I started to blame us both. Why did we do this to ourselves. Why didn't we speak about more important things earlier on. Now I don't blame anyone. Things happen for a reason. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it don't. I don't blame you. I forgive you. More importantly I forgive myself." She told him as his hands were still on her hips but body was away to look at her.
"You sounded so grown up just now. You moved on in a very healthy way. "What if I still blame myself. Can you help me? I am so mad I let you go so easily like that." "That was not easy. That was anything but." "But I let it happen. I should have never let you walk out that door Arabella. I should have agreed with you the second you started talking about the future. I am not the same person anymore Ari. I am but I'm not. I want kids and pets. I want to come home with little hands and feet all over the walls and running to me when I get home after horrible days like this week. I want to show my kids how to do things like change a tire and ride a bike. I want family vacations to Disney land and Universal Studios. I want to hold them on their bad days and tell them better ones are on the way. I want to send them to college and watch them succeed. I want it all." He took a choke on another sob.
"I want to come home and see you dancing in the kitchen cooking dinner. I want to sit on the couch watch movies rubbing each other down after long days of work and chasing kids. I want you back Arabella. I need you back. My world doesn't like spinning without you. You literally lit up my whole world you were the whole warmth in our home and now it's just four walls I sleep in. I love you Arabella and I want to be in your life. I know we are friends and I want to be your friend until the day I stop breathing. BUT can't we be more? You know how great we are. Now that we want the same things what's holding us back. I love you Arabella. Don't you love me? Isn't-Isn't there any part of you that wants or needs this too?" He asked as he blacked out. Leaving her staring at his body as it flung back to the mattress with her mouth open.
Tucking him in and locking the door behind her she called the cab driver back and went home looking the clock it was 2 am. She was at Vincents for over an hour and half. 'Safe to say I aint getting any sleep tonight.' Grabbing a blanket and sitting on her couch. She thought to herself about everything from when she first met Vincent to last night everything between her and Vincent. Everything between her and Xavier. Her life has changed so much. She has come such a long way and it was all due to both of these men. After passing out she woke up and stretched Saturday morning it was 10am. Looking down to her phone which just so happen to ding. Vincent. Opening up the messages from him. 'Thank you for bringing me home last night. Sorry I was so much trouble.' Before she could reply to him there was another one. 'I'm not sorry for what I said. I remember everything. Just please think about it.' Looking at her phone she put it down on the couch again and pulled her knees to under her chin.
Sitting around the table the guys mouths were hanging open. Starring at Dylan who was just leaning back hands in his pockets at the restaurant. Leah looking around awkwardly. "So you guys all work together?" Leah asked nicely. "Naw don't go trying to talk all normal after what we just saw." Nix said smirking waving a finger than crossing his arms. "When did you two start having something going on?" Xavier asked happily. "When did you and Arabella?" She asked sarcastically sweet sounding. "Touche'." He answered quickly. "Are the other two just going to continue starring at us?" She asked him looking at Dylan, Phoenix and Xaiver. "Yeah probably." Nix said laughing before adding. "They are probably just scarred by what they seen."
"It wasn't that bad. You guys are just over reacting. What's the big deal anyway. We're all adults what we do on our time is our business." Leah added with a hint of attitude. "I think the big deal was it was like walking in on a live porn in the parking on the trunk of Dylans car." Nix told her in a polite voice. "Don't even look at me. You jumped on me and clawed up my back. I ain't going to say no and skip an opportunity. They just got bad timing." Dylan said with his hands in the air as Leah ran both hands through her hair up to her head.
"Are you guys like together-together? Just dating? Either way man we're happy for you." Xavier said as they were finishing up their dinners. "Well we're together exclusively. I just really appreciate it if you didn't tell any of my friends yet. I haven't told them and this is all new so while finding our own pace with things I'd like to take just a bit more telling everyone else. This is a big step for me after so many years it's a little hard and I'm just trying to go about this the right way for now." Leah told them with Dylan nodding in support. "Sure." "Yeah of course." The guys all murmured in agreement and nodding to her.
"Well thank you for the dinner Xavier it was actually a nice evening minus certain parts. You and Nix should come out with us next time. I think you would have a real good time. Especially now since you dragged one of our through the mud in tabloids. Don't worry no one blames you. We do however thought we would see more of you. Just so you know by the way." She said walking up to be face to face with him. "There are a lot of weird things going on lately. BUT! I am on your side and rooting for you." Making everyone a little shocked knowing just what a hard ass and book she's been in the years pass to crack. Dylan winked to him as they walked out.
"Now that was impressive. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT…DYLAN of all people would be the one to bring down THE LEAH PORTERSON." Nix said shaking his head with his hands in his pockets. Ace and Ryder had already walked away to go home. "You ok man?" Nix asked as they got in the car and started driving to drop Xaiver off at home. "I don't man just got a weird feeling." "Arabella still ain't answering you back. Chloe said she wasn't answering anyone today. Taking a mental health day no technology or anything. Just wants to rest all weekend. She spent a lot of time in the hospital this week resetting bones and a few surgeries. Just leave her be for a bit man. She'll come around." Nix told him as they pulled up. "I just go this feeling. Maybe I should go check up on her." "Or maybe you get your ass in there and get some rest. Maybe see where we go from here now." Nix told him with a look. With a heavy sigh he nodded and went in and got ready for bed.
Sunday evening came around as well as a knock on the door. Not getting up to answer it she heard it open and shut. "You know ignoring the door doesn't stop those with a key." He said waving it around with a two of there favorite pizzas a combination and a white garlic chicken. Smiling up to him. "Only time you go on mental health days with no technology is when you are seriously thinking things that could be changing up your life a bit. So we know it aint about careers or moving. What is going through that big brain of yours." Preston asked her opening both boxes and a the 2 liter of Coke. Taking the drink and setting it down still on the other side of the couch with her knees to her chin. Straightening herself out with a sigh she began.
"When you went to get Vinny at the Spades Thursday did he say anything about me?" Preston looked up to her in shock. "He might have. Would you really want to hear it?" He asked her with a pointed look. " just want to know if maybe it was anything different than what he told me when I brought him home form Spades Friday night? Or if maybe he was just a drunk spewing random things although the text message he sent Saturday morning says otherwise. So really did he say anything about me?" Grabbing a slice of pizza and putting it in her mouth.
"Yes. He did. He said he was so stupid than and he finally figured out everything he wanted and needed and would be willing to do anything to get you back. He said it was hard to hear about you dating again. He doesn't want to date but we've been pushing him to try. He knows he should get himself out there after all this time it's just he can't let go of you and he thinks if both you wanted the same things now, than why can't you just be back together? I told him if it was really that simple than wouldn't you be together right now? I mean I think you guys are apart for a reason. Look at you now Arabella you have changed so much and it's for the better. You would never have gotten this way mentally, physically or spiritually if you were still with Vincent and deep down you know that." Preston said to her.
Nodding her head looking back to him. "Look I love you both. I want you both to be happy. As your friend and an outsiders opinion I think you guys are honestly better for each other as just friends. You guys have become honestly stronger people while you've been apart. That split took so much out of both of you do you really think you can go through that again? Let me tell you as a friend to each of you it was just as easy to watch you both during in as it was going through personally." He told her taking a bite. "I understand what your saying." She nodded to him.
"I've been thinking about everything lately like over thinking every little thing since the day I met Vincent until this weekend. You know there are just so many things we have gone through in four years alone. It was almost hard to pin point where to really start. I been observing the changes in me and even in Vincent since we broke up. I think if any of the positive changes I have had lately this past year if they were going to ever happen with Vincent than wouldn't have had happened then?" She asked rubbing her arms. "That's a fair question. We both know it wasn't the plane crash that made you change it wasn't until Xavier talked to you that you finally decided enough was enough." Preston said. "Yeah. A big part of me keeps saying a bunch of things like. It shouldn't take a year of you being gone to realize everything he had or could have had. Where was this when we were arguing over what our future should look like I mean there was no real rush for anything but still." She told him again being said and in a confused angered tone.
"That's right." Preston said nodding his head to her. "Then I get the other side of the inner demons arguing with me saying things like. Maybe he was just scared and it took something drastic like me leaving him to realize I was serious about what I said I wanted. I didn't want to keep living there yet we never looked for any other place. I wanted kids and pets he didn't. Maybe he thought they were just little things I wanted that I could live without since I never brought it up more to say hey this is a serious topic for me this could be a deal breaker. Maybe he just didn't really think I'd see it though. Maybe he was just scared and needed time to adjust. If the tables were turned around and if I was still in love with him coming from a point I wanted our future to just you know the tow of us. Would I expect him to give me another chance? Why is he coming back now all of a sudden with all this. Why now what's so special about now? Is it because I'm dating? I mean did it seriously take seeing me in articles with another man to make him think ok fine I'll have all these things with her just because I don't want her to have them with someone else?" She asked getting worked up.
"I don't think that is it. But you know maybe in the back of his mind it could play a small factor. However he was reaching out to you before you met Xavier so probably not. The theory of it though could be valid you would have to ask him. "I think what I really need is to go for a run." "That maybe the best thing you can do. Here I'll get out of your hair. Keep the pizza I know how you'll binge out when you get back." He said kissing the top of her head hugging her tightly. "Call me if you need anything." "Always." Getting everything set up for her she drove back up to the mountain and headed back to the old familiar trail. After getting up to the top she was now coming down towards the middle of the dirt path down the mountain when she heard his voice and saw him. Her stomach jumping making it hard to swallow. "Evening Arabella. Didn't expect to see you here."