"It's been a while I hope you are well." Staring for a moment. "Is something wrong with my hand?" He asked her. "I think there is something wrong with your whole entire head Mr. Tilman." "Wow. OK. Back to last name basis." He chuckled. "I see you maybe a little crossed about somethings and maybe confused about some others. Is this about the case?" "I think it could also be more along the lines of you stringing me along to come up a very certain mountain during a very heavy storm leaving me to be injured because after you canceled with me you told me to be here than canceled again. All along knowing very damn well you were never going to show in the first damn place. Does that ring a damn bell now?" She snapped at him taking an angry step towards for him to lift his hands up and take a step back.
"Ah. Yes. I remember that all now. I am very sorry for what happened to you and Mr. Hernandez. I didn't know I forgot ot cancel the second time. I had no idea I would be called away again so suddenly. I did send flowers and I did request the bill. If you remember correctly." He added in a friendly tone. "You honestly think I would ever trust any doctor under your payroll." She sneered to him stepping up closer to him. "Now I can see this is also a bit about the case. I want you to know I had no idea what the other upper hands were doing behind my back. It was them who was even caught red handed with Dion." Eric snapped back. "You think I really believe that the head CEO/owner doesn't have not one clue about what is happening inside his own building on most of this stuff?" She asked him covering her mouth with one hand in a chuckle of sarcasm and her other hand on her hip.
"You are free to think whatever you like Dr. Alderman it is a free country. I won't argue with you to plead my case I have an amazing attorney who did that for me." Eric told her with a pointed look. "You know all about my lawyer though don't you Arabella after all you two have had so much history?" Looking at him like he could bust into flames. "Don't worry he told me nothing. I just research anyone I will be working with. You never know who maybe a threat. You understand me being who I am and all." He told her. "Oh yeah I know all about who exactly you are and all. You're not the only one who's been doing research. In fact I know someone who seemed to be getting straight A's in the Eric Tilman history. I'm sure you remember everything about Brently Brown." She told him crossing her arms tilting on one hip.
Erics eyes lit up in anger. "Brently Brown is gone." "Yes may he rest in peace or at least he will when everything about the real you is brought to light. You don't honestly think he kept everything about bottled up no did you?" She asked him in mocking tone. "Now, now Eric you should really behave a hell of a lot better now. It would be a true shame to sink everyone else down on the ship only for you to get a way on the only life boat with holes now right?" She asked him a finger playfully going under her chin. "You listen here you little-." "Tilman what are you doing on the mountain?" He heard from the side of him.
"Hernandez, just out for a little run got to keep the body in shape. You know advise from my old doctor. Right Dr. Alderman." "I'm not your doctor. My only advise for you is to make things right once and for all and then go straight to hell." She said with a smile. "I think you should start heading in Eric almost being night and all. Let me walk down with you Ari we have some things to talk about anyway." Vincent said eyes never leaving Eric. "Sure you two have a great night now." Eric said as he took off jogging the other way. "I really hate that guy. He makes may skin crawl and my stomach turn." Arabella said as she started walking down the path like a woman on a mission. "Really you hide it so well it was hard to tell." Vincent said keeping up with her.
"How much of all that did you hear anyway." "All of it I was sitting on the rock resting when I saw you both come into view. Was it a lovely chat?" He asked her sarcastically. "Well of course you know how good I am with my people skills." "Look I know the fight Brently was trying to put before he passed but I really think you should start watching yourself now that you poked Tilman like that. Seriously Arabella he's not a guy just to take that laying down. He also more tricks up his sleeves than most of us are aware of. Hell I have cases upon cases and I'm just barely scratching the surface. He is a master of covering his tracks. I keep trying to see if there is anything I could get on him in any of the case files I have. I keep coming up short and empty." Vincent said rubbing his hands on his face and neck.
"You know when Holden gave me those boxes for a moment I was praying yes maybe this is it. My salvation. But there was still nothing I could actually pin him directly with. It's freaking maddening." He said being fluster. "Hey, you know what I just thought of?" "Why the word spork is so fun?" "No but let's circle back to that later. What if I went through some of Brently things and see if he has anything about Tilman in there with his stuff?" "What do you mean?" "Well his house and all that never got sold or anything it's all left to me. I have some of his stuff set up here in the city and some back where I spread him. What if maybe one day we just when through some things and maybe all the noise and fuss he had against Tilman could actually be helpful." "That is the smartest thing I have ever heard this year. I mean seriously you have no idea what that would mean or what it could do." Vincent was lost in awe in the great plan.
"Hey, just make sure you tell no one else about this ok. I don't want Eric for nay reason knowing you got all Brently stuff although I'm pretty sure he's already got it figured out. Tilman is more of a dangerous threat then most people are giving him credit for and I don't want nothing to happen to you." Vincent said to her in a soft voice she knew was sincere. "About the other night. Have you given it any thoughts?" He asked scratching the back of his neck as they came up to their cars parked close to each other. "I've given it about a million thoughts and then I get lost in a confusing one sided argument with myself. Having all these questions don't' help either." "What questions?" "Why now. Why come to me now and say you want me back? That you want all these things. What's so special about now?" She asked him crossing her arms and pushing her eyebrows down.
"I have been trying for a week since you left. But I am a coward what can I say. I must have picked up the phone to call you or text a bout a billion times just to hang up and scream and yell to an empty house. I finally got all my shit together. I am finally here I have a game plan. New office. New home. New city we both always wanted. With new dreams. I'm not weak anymore. I am here to fight for you or with you. Just in the end if you decide I am not want you want I don't want it to end us completely either way Arabella I need you in my life. You are one of the most amazing people in my life I ever met. I am better now because of you. Just whatever you may feel now. Please keep friends in mind the very least." Looking at her with hopeful eyes.
"I know you are currently dating but you are not officially with anyone and until you are married I have a right to ask you out. To pursue you. Just if you are mad or have these questions talk to me I'm right here let's work this out and clear the air." He told her in a hopeful voice. "That's just it Vinny. I'm not so sure I want to work it out. I don't think or know if I really care to get the answers to my questions. I don't really know if I have it in me to fight with or for you anymore. I did that already. I put everything I had into you and look where we are. I don't know if it's worth going back down that road again look what it did to both of us the last time." "It would be different Arabella. You know it. We are better, smarter and even stronger now." "YES WE ARE VINNY BUT WE GOT THAT WAY WHILE WE APART!" She said with tears streaming down her face.
"We go that way because that was the only way left. After we left and gave up on each other. Only then. Why is that if what we had was so strong before why are we supposedly stronger now independently." "I never once gave up on you. I got this way to prove you were right and turn myself into the man you deserve into the man you needed me to be." "The man I deserve? I needed you to be the man I needed THEN Vinny not NOW. Maybe this was always supposed to be the plan. Maybe this is the way our fate is supposed to be. Maybe this is as far as it should get with us Vincent." She told him tears falling off her face. "Is that what you really think?" He asked her eyes water. "Maybe it is." "Do you love me?" He asked her getting face to face with her looking at her like a man on a mission. "I love you Vinny. Just not the way you need me to. I will always love Vinny. Just that love has altered over time. I want great things for Vincent." "See that's our problem then isn't Ari. For me there is nothing greater then you. I think we need some space to calm down. Please think it over a little more. The only thing I didn't hear from you was a no. Hit me up when you think about Brently's stuff." He said as he quickly walked away. "Vinny. Vinny." She called out to him wanting to get what was left on her chest off. Getting in her car she went home.
Later that night his phone dinged picking it up he saw it was from Dylans cousin the park ranger. "Better hold on tighter man. With a picture of Vincent and Arabella looking like they were about to fight face to face. "Is she ok?" Xaiver asked quickly. "Yeah they were just hashing things out. Seems like they got a little further to go. Nothing to bad though man. The plus side we learned something after this." He said. "Like what?" Xavier asked in the text feeling a little down. "Your woman knows how to stand her ground." "What do you mean?" "She was putting him in his place Xavier. She was holding her ground. From the outsiders opinion she basically was telling him they can't be together. He just didn't see them words as clear as she was trying to make them." He answered. "Take care man." He stopped texting after that. A smile same across Xaviers face and it was too difficult to get off. Laying down he drifted off to sleep.
Looking around he was confused. Where the hell am I now?" "Opening the door he saw Dylan and Vincent digging around in one room. "Xavier man you going to just wonder around or you going to help man? I thought you said you were willing to help Or did Ari get that wrong?" Vincent snipped at him. "Is that attitude you got really necessary Vin?" With a long sigh. "No I'm sorry just start looking over there. I want to hurry up and get out of this place. It's already hard enough of Arabella to be in his house. Now we rummaging through his things." Vincent said shaking his head as Dylan nodded. It hit them they were in Brently's house. "Where did Ari go?" Xavier asked them. "She in the next room with Nix man. You alright? You seem a little off." Dylan asked him. No I'm ok. I'll start over here what exactly am I looking for." He stopped when he saw Brently in the corner arms crossed but he could see his finger pointing in the corner.
Walking over to the box he opened it up. There was a files with pictures of Eric Tilman shaking hands with all kinds of people he shouldn't have been with. Documents sent to him telling him warning him of dangers of codes, materials, resources. Proof that he was paying this people off because he wasn't the head on this he was a lackey. "What the hell did you see or find on this guy?" Xavier asked as his face went up to Brently. "It's too late now he knows. He is coming and she is a threat to them now. You have to get her. Only you can protect her Xavier. No one else. It's not who you think Don't listen to them either. It is HIM." Brently looking at the door in horror.
Xavier quickly walked over to the door and went into the hall after hearing a loud boom some three guys came bursting through the door. Shooting at them. Arabella and Phoenix were in the kitchen as they got shot at. Nix quickly pulled out his gun and shot at the three men getting them down. Dylan came quickly tasering them and hitting them knocking them out. Nix helped Dylan detain them tying their hands to their feet behind their back. Vincent on the phone with 911. Arabella looking at Xavier and looking down at her hand he quickly came up to her holding her before she hit the floor. Two bullet holes in her stomach one in her shoulder and the last one straight into her left breast and chest. "ARI! Stay with me baby. I got you. Help is coming just stay awake. We're going to get you help. We-." "Shhhh…." She said with a finger to his lip with a little blood on it. Smiling up to him. "It's ok Xavier it's ok. I should have moved these things from this place a long time ago. I provoke Tilman. He is good at what he does. I'm cold Xavier so let me just say I love you. I want you to be happy." "We will be baby girl. Just hang in there." He said with tears down his cheeks. Shaking her head. "I want you to live on and be happy Xavier. Don't we Brently?" She asked looking in the corner as the last breath left her chest and the light left her eyes. Looking up he saw Brently whose face came racing at his face turning into a skull as it did.
"AGH!" Xaiver said as he quickly got up from falling off the couch. "Are you ok?" He heard the sweetest thing he has been missing for days. "Arabella." He said in a whisper and raced up to her gathering her in his arms lifting her up and holding her tightly he was so much bigger than her in every way shape and form. Smashing his lips to hers. She met him back in pace. Placing her down lightly resting his head to hers. "I've missed you." He said as she shook her head. "You haven't been answering me back lately I've been trying to give you space." She nodded again. "Are you ok?" She nodded. "I am now." Stepping back from him. "I just had a lot to take the last couple days and I've been doing it on an over worked schedule. I knew you were busy anyway. Thought the time apart would do us both some good." She said with a shrug as he was holding both her hands. "Well it still would have been nice to hear from you Ari. I don't like not being able to at least talk about our days or say good night to you. Theres twenty-four hours in a day I was hoping to be worth at least five minutes to you." HE told her in disappointment.
"You are worth way more than five minutes. It took everything in me not to come straight here and pass out in your theater room with you like old times." She told him with a smirk. "Next time just do that then. I don't care what time it is. Just come in that door like you did." He told her looking down at the bag. "What's this?" He asked her. "I've missed you a lot and was wondering if it would be ok to spend the night with you to catch up?" She asked him hopefully. "Yeah, hell baby girl pack up and move in. What's mine is yours remember wifey." He told her wiggling his eyebrows to her. "My God you'll never let that go will you?" "Hell no. I'll never let it go because I'm telling you one day it will happen and I will make you the happiest person for mostly the rest of our lives except those days I piss you off."
"That was both beautiful and realistic I appreciate that." Grabbing her bag putting into his room. "Want to door dash I don't have much to make anything with. Just drinks and a few snacks." "Yeah what do you feel like?" "Chinese our place. Here I got it I'll just go on reorder form last time you were here. Let's see which year was it again it's been so long?" He teased her. "I get it I'm sorry." "Anything new with you or anything you want to walk about?" He asked her putting the phone down. "I do. Then I don't. It's a little hard. "Alright. What if you just took it slow and start where ever you feel comfortable. Did I do something or-." "She cut him off "No. You didn't do anything yet at the same time you did everything." She said in a ramble. "OK?" He said sitting down on the kitchen bar stool as she took the one in front of him on the other side.
"I don't want secrets between us and I don't want you hearing things from other people making things worse than they are." "I respect that thank you." He said motioning for her to go on. "I had a mutual friend who runs Spades Bar call me Friday. He needed me to take Vincent home. So I got a cab and took him home. I helped take his shoes off put him in his bed. Got him aspirin and made sure he drank two bottles of water to try to ease some of the hangover for the next day he had a trash can next to him to throw up in. He had to be there for work tow nights in a row. He trashed himself because his boss is so proud of him for the Tilman case and he is disgusted with himself." "Is he doing better now I know how hard he is taking this." "Yeah. For the moment it is what it is with all of that. Theres more actually on that I'll get to in a minute." She said as she stopped. The food had come.
Getting up and everything settled. "Alright so you get Vincent into bed. Then what?" He asked her in a nice way. "He kind of went on in a drunken way of telling me he wanted me back. He wants to be together again because all his views and goals were now the same as mine. He misses me you know the whole drunk confession cliché thing. Then he passes out but before he does he tells me he wants me to think about it. So I this whole weekend I have done nothing but overthink everything from the day I met him to my life the way it is now. AND every little thing that has happened upon my journey here." "How did that go?" He asked her looking deeply at her for answers he wasn't to sure on yet.
"I mean what a hell of a crazy random ride it has been. Seeing all our mistakes we made that were to obvious to the unobvious ones. I was left with more questions like why now all of a sudden. What makes him think he really changed his mind. Why would this be any better now than it was then? Were happy then but were better people now. It just left a lot on my mind and kind of how should I put like a bad taste in my mouth would be a better way. I went on a mountain run after talking to Preston about a lot of things. I found Eric on the mountain and it made me want to spew up bile from the vile little man. Everything Brently ever said about him is so true and the fact that he didn't get to him while he was alive must be making him turn in his ashes now. Anway." She said as they were clearing off their dishes putting them in dishwasher.
"We exchange some nice conversation. Like I he wondered why I was a little hostile to him. I reminded him of my leg. How he was a pathetic human being. You know just the little nothing he didn't already know things. Just to get under his skin I reminded him of who he was a bad mad who will eventually get his sins to catch up to him and need to repent for just as Brently would have done. Of course that pist him off. But Vincent was actually watching the whole thing and stepped in. We had no idea he was there. He made Eric leave. He told me I needed to watch him for because he maybe more dangerous then I think he walked me to my car." Stepping up to Xavier looking at him deeper.
"He asked me if I thought about all the things he said. I kind of yelled at him. I was pushing him away and he knew it. So before I could say more to shut the door on us to his face he told me to think about it some more. The whole time I was thinking about it I was also thinking about you. I got questions for you as well." "For me? R-really? Like what." Reaching out grabbing her hips placing both hands on them pulling her closer to him. "Do you really see yourself with me down the road in the long run you keep joking about me being our wife do you maybe see that for us? Is it too soon for that question?" "Ok first off that isn't a joke. It's not a matter of if for me Arabella it's a matter of WHEN and it's whenever you are ready." He told he flatly.
"I have already though us through for the last few months we have known each other. It's perfect Ari. Our parents not only love us but love each other. We have crazy chemistry and there is nothing I wouldn't do for you Ari. Obviously I strike chords way deeper further down than even you will admit or you wouldn't have made all these positive, amazing and beautiful changes to your life. It would have happened before me not with the help because of me right? I see nothing but you down any road of my future Arabella and I mean that." "Why?" "Why?" "Why do you want me to be with you? What is it about me that makes you know this it for you?" "Everything about is my reason. The fact that you make me better, want to be better and will always strive to better to be worthy of you. You already know this. We were made for each other. I bring out the best in you for you to strive to move forward as well. Look back on all the time we shared together Ari. That's real all those feelings. The emotions that was real and that was us. You're humor, kindness, respectfulness, intelligence, sexiness the list never ends with you Ari. When I close my eyes you know what I realize after the first few weeks of meeting you hell days even. That my greatest fear is losing you. You go t such a hold on me and I'm begging you to never let me go. Just keep that hold on that leash of me Ari. You are my only life line."
Placing a hand on her cheek and kissing the other one to look back at her. "Do you see yourself having kids down this path of ours?" She asked him. "I see us having as many as you'll let me have." Resting his head to hers. "Is this where you see yourself settling down?" "Yes. This is were our family is. I am opened to moving if further down the road you think we need something different. Other than that I think this will be a good place for us. We have support from family and friends. Our jobs are here. But what matters is our family and if for any reason that should suddenly change well we'll just talk it out we can always move and transfer our jobs and I am beyond wealthy we can retire tomorrow if you like." He said biting her neck playfully making her smile and laugh. "Answer me this Ari." He said looking at her.
"Do you see a future with me?" "Yes." "Do you want a future with me?" Looking at him. He quickly asked another question. "Do you see a future with Vincent. It's ok however you answer I'm grown enough to know how much you to have shared in the years passed." "No." "Do you want a future with him even if you can't see it?" Thinking about for a second before saying. "No." "Do you want a future with me?" "I love you." The three words took him by surprise. "What?" "I. Love. You." She said placing a small kiss on each side of his chin as she said each word. "That didn't answer my question." He was still in shock mumbling. "I want a future with you. Many things can happen between us though that could change that." "No not with me there isn't." "What does all this mean for us right now though Arabella?" He asked her being confused.
"It means I'm doing a little more thinking and will have to have another little chat real soon Mr. Holden. There are some things I need to settle. Also there's a little more to the story." "What else is more?" He asked confused. It's about the whole Tilman and Brently thing can we go talk about this in the theater room?" "Sure. Um let me go get our phones and drinks ok?" She nodded. Picking up the phone and making the call real quick he placed it on a conference call. "What's up Xav?" Ryder asked as Ace, Dylan and Nix came on the call. "Nix I need you and Dylan to record all what your about to hear. Don't say anything mute yourself and Dylan call back so when I hang up you guys are still talking." "OK sure that aint cryptic at all." He said back. The phone didn't even ring when he answered ok make sure you stay quiet alright." They all agreed
Walking in the theater room he place his phone down the screen was black but everyone could hear. "Sorry about that baby. Took a quick call. Anyway so what were you saying?" He asked her curiously. It's about Sunday when Vincent and I were walking down the mountain. See Brently had a thing out for Eric Tilman in fact he was gathering evidence to try to stop him from basically all the crap he's been doing now and making other guys take the fall for. The thing about it for Brently he always said Eric went out of his way to look like the man in charge but when push came to shove he was always out to make look like he was just an innocent person and others were all behind it. Apparently he was in with some small gangs too. Everything kind of looks like maybe he was working for them or with them. Brently however though that is what Eric wanted people to think. Wha ta perfect cover. Brently would say over and over again." She sighed.
"Now that I think about it he is completely right. I mean what better cover as the main boss would it be to make it look like you were a lackey how would anything be lead back to you. Like only high ups would and it would make it easier to push blame on someone else. Like he's been doing the whole time. However that is a theory another one is he is a lackey and in deep so he made all these things that were already doomed to fail on purpose so that his boss could get the money from insurances. Look at he condemned buildings that got everyone sick. They could have been families that were being watched over for a purpose and then with the doctor and weird building collapse they all either got hurt or killed his problems with them were over and he got a payout for it." She said Xavier mind was being blown although he knew some things he didn't know this much detail. Everything she was saying was making sense. Damn it Brently you couldn't' have just said any of this shit at any given point.
"The thing is Vincent is having a hard time as you know with the whole Eric thing on the moral route. He has been searching for something so it would help convict Eric not get him off. He was so happy with the box you guys gave him but it made worse and got him no where. He was hoping it was another way out to catch him but it wasn't. Than out of no where I told him I still have Brently's boxes and research of Eric Tilman and all the charges and cases he was trying to piece together. I have some here in the city and I have some in the family cabin. Anyway Vincent wants to make a day out of it going through the things problem is there is just so much that I would need some help form you guys I mean you can't see the medical record but I can and I wouldn't know what would be legal help but you guys would. I could help with medical records and tell you which case it could be used for and also reach out to the patients to see if it would be alright them I don't want to violate HIPPA or anything." "Agreed we won't cross those lines I promise even if we come medical files I promise we won't look at anyone innocent files." Xavier said.
"Does Vincent know you are asking us for help?" "No but I really want you there for me. Please." "Of course. I can't let you go getting to close to the ex-begging for you back can I. That will be comfortable for all of us." "Well if it makes you feel better I'll only be looking at you." She wiggled her eyebrows to him. "Look uncomfortable or not we have to do this. Who knows what we will find. Like it or not you both need each other to end this the right way and finally maybe all of us even Brently can get some peace." She said snuggling him in the chair pushing play to the movie. Striking a thought into his head as he had hung the phone in secret. 'Is this what all this has been about. This whole time. Brently finally getting Eric Tilman the bad man behind bars facing the horrible sins he has been committing over the years. Is this what you want and been doing Brently and if it is when we finally get him will all the dreams and premonitions stop? What if this is what it all leads up to. Holding her close. The only thing he knew for sure was what he had to do next.