Chapter 6: Chapter 6

Chapter 6 were you aware that you are pregnant?

Warmth.

Light.

Comfort.

Three things I have never experienced in my life. Where was I? How did I get here? I slowly peek my eyes open, and gaze around me. The walls were fish tanks, and inside, fish of all colors swam around. The water was a crystal blue, and combined with the beautiful fish, created a peaceful serenity I had never known in my life.

And if it wasn't for the IV sticking out of my thumb, then I would have questioned if I was dead and in heaven.

But being hooked up to medical equipment had destroyed that hope. I was sure that in heaven, you don't need medical equipment.

I felt slightly groggy, and I could only guess it was due to the medications that whoever they are had given me. I felt panicked, though, because I am in a stranger's room. What if they harm me? What if they use me like everyone else? I'm on a bed, after all. And if life has taught me anything, it has taught me that some men specifically, have treated me right, only to turn around and stab me in the back and betray me.

So if this was a man's doing, they may only be trying to gain my trust just to use me and hurt me.

And that scared me.

So, I rip the IV out of me, and let my bare feet touch the floor. I gently pad to the door, only to find it locked, much to my horror. A beeping sound suddenly occurs, and I become even more afraid.

Footsteps are heard, and I cower back from the door, waiting my fate. I am surprised, though, when a woman wearing a doctor's coat gently opens the door. She has hair as black as midnight, and skin that is the color of cocoa. She senses my fear, and speaks.

"Shhh, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you." She says gently, as if I am some frightened, cornered animal.

Can I really trust her?

She's a doctor, she wouldn't hurt me, right?

"My name is Doctor Kaylee, and I have been helping your recover. Please, sit down, I need to talk to you." She says.

I gulp, and debate with myself. I feel nervous, but decide to do what she says. She actually looks genuine, with no hidden intentions. So, I slowly walk back to the bed, and sit down. She approaches me slowly, and pulls up a little wooden stool next to me.

"I would like to talk to you about your health." She says, gazing into my eyes. I look away, I am too nervous to look anyone in the eyes right now.

"O-Okay." I whisper.

"Well, Dakota, to start off, you are very underweight. Your body showed me the trauma you've been through. You are a strong woman, Dakota." She says with a small smile. She goes on to list the scars and wounds on my body, and I feel ashamed that she saw the ugliness that tatters my body and stains me.

"And lastly....I have some news." She says blankly. I could tell she was uncertain about the news she was about to tell me, and it scared me.

"Dakota, were you aware that you are pregnant?"

Pregnant?

I-I'm what?

"P-pregnant?" I say. I feel panic start to set in. I'm pregnant with a rapist's baby, and I have no idea who the father could be.

"Yes, Dear. You're approximately eight weeks pregnant. Your body might abort the baby though, because you are under stress and healing from trauma."

I stare blankly off into space.

Pregnant....

Alone, abused, and pregnant....

Of course, it wasn't the baby's fault. It didn't choose this life. It was it's fathers fault, not the baby's. How could I punish the child for the father's wrong doing?

"C-Can you please leave?" I ask Kaylee quietly.

She nods in understanding, and gently shuts the door behind her. The moment she leaves the room, I break down in tears. I huddle up on the bed, and pull my knees to my chest and sob. My tears drench my knees and the bed below me as a wave of panic and depression wash over me.

You're tainted.

You're disgusting.

You're broken.

You're worthless.

He will find you.

My heart starts to beat rapidly, and I feel myself losing to panic. I just want this all to end.

Without thinking, I grab the bottle of pills I had stashed under my pillow. I pop open the bottle, and reach out to the glass of water that Kaylee had brought me. My hands shake violently, causing water to spill over the sides of the glass. I dump a handful of pills into my hand as tears stream down my face.

And then I do it. I pop many pills into my mouth, and shakily bring the glass of water up to my dry, chapped lips. I quickly swallow, and repeat, until the small bottle of pills is empty. My stomach starts to cramp, and beads of sweat form on my brow.

I just want this to end.

And then I collapse onto the floor, shaking violently. I cry out as what I could only guess to be my final moment nears. I feel exhausted, and let my heavy eyes close.

The last thing I hear is heavy, loud footsteps nearing the bedroom door and panicked voices.

And then I'm gone.

I'm whisked away in the never ending blackness of my life.

Is this what Death is?

* * *

Ace's POV:

I rush to my bedroom door the moment I heard Dakota cry out. I barge through the door, and find her lifeless body on the floor. She lies on her side, facing me. Her open hand revealing an empty bottle of pills. She tried to commit suicide.

No!

I rush over to her side, and turn her on her back. I cradle her head in my hands, as I desperately call out to Kaylee.

Kaylee rushes in, and immediately gets into doctor mode. She orders me to pick her up and lay her back down onto the bed. I quickly do so, and watch as Kaylee grabs every item she needs.

"Hurry up!" I say angrily. I am desperate and illogical at this point.

"Ace, I want her to survive just as much as you do. Getting angry at this point isn't going to solve anything, it will only stress the both of us out." Kaylee says, looking me dead in the eyes.

Kaylee is one of the only few people that can talk to me like that. This is why she's my doctor, because in times of stress, she is strong and won't take crap from anyone. She will slap you across the face with common sense, which is something people seem to lack often.

I obey her, and help Kaylee out the best I can. Dakota is hooked up to machines with tubes coming out of her throat, and she looks unrecognizable.

Kaylee works on Dakota for I don't know how long, and I can tell Kaylee is getting tired, but is too passionate about her patient to realize.

"Will she be okay?" I ask her.

"I don't know, Ace. I don't know. She took the whole bottle, which can cause kidney failure, as well as other organ failures. That could cause her body to shut down, but on the bright side, we found her right away. At this point, only time will tell." She says solemnly.

"If you need anything at all, or something happens, you can press this button." Kaylee says, pointing to a small, red button on the lamp stand. "I have to attend to bullet wounds now, but please don't hesitate to call me if needed."

I nod. "Thank you Kaylee."

Kaylee leaves, and I am left alone with Dakota, who is lying unconscious. Her breathing is slow, but it's there. At least it's a sign of life.

"Why would you do that?" I ask her. "We are here for you. I mean, I know you're probably not used to having someone be there for you..." My voice trails off.

I suppose I don't really know what she's been through. Of course, I can understand a little bit, as I was abused as a child. I remember being locked away in a dark closet for days, with no food or water. I remember I would be beaten with long, metal rods and being burned by cigarettes.

"I hope you learn to trust me.....but then again, why should you? People like me aren't very good people." I say quietly as I gently wipe a strand of hair away from her face.

I quietly leave the room, and head to the kitchen, where my younger sister, Katelin, is making a plain old box of mac and cheese. My sister can be a pain sometimes, but then again, aren't all siblings? But, we have been to hell and back together, so we are pretty close.

Katelin spins around, her long, strawberry blonde hair twirling around as she does so.

"What's up?" She asks. I notice the wooden spoon she has in one hand with wet macaroni noodles stuck to it.

"Nothing much." I say and shrug, not really caring to go into detail about the current situation.

Katelin raises her eyebrows and gives me the spill the beans look. "I don't believe you." She says simply. "I know that look."

I roll my eyes. "Fine, you caught me. Remember that girl I told you about? Well, she's terrified of me, and I'm convinced probably all men, because she's been abused." I say.

A sad look crosses my sister's face, and she says, "Wow, that's sad."

I nod in agreement, and sit down at the kitchen table. "She even tried to commit suicide." I add.

Katelin takes a seat across from me at the table. She still wears the sad look on her face, before asking, "What are you going to do when she wakes up and gets better? You can't just keep her here against her will, Ace."

I hadn't thought about that.

"We will come to that conclusion when the time comes." I reply.

"Alright," Katelin says, "But next time, let me go in there. Men obviously intimidate her, and extra stress is not good."

"Yeah, whatever." I say as Katelin gets up to check on the mac and cheese.

"Hey Ace," Katelin asks while stirring the mac an cheese, "When Dakota is feeling up to it, can I take her out of the house for a bit? Cooping her up in the house can't be good for her. Besides, she will need clothes."

"No. It isn't safe." I reply.

"Come on, Ace, you can even have one of your guards tag along to watch us if you feel that way. Please?" She begs, turning around and sticking out her bottom lip.

I hate it when she does that.

I roll my eyes. "Fine. But you will bring one of my guards with you. He will watch you from the distance, so he won't spook Dakota. You probably won't even realize he's there." I reply.

"Awesome, thanks!" She exclaims.

I feel bad for my sister. She didn't choose this life, and she is constantly in danger. My enemies prey on my family, and I know it must be hard to always live a guarded life.

My phone suddenly rings, and I pick it up seeing that Jordan is calling.

"Hey Jordan, what's up?" I ask.

I widen my eyes in shock and clench my fists at his words.

"I'll be on my way. Thanks, Jordan." I say and hang up, my heart beating frantically.

"What was that all about?" Katelin asks, concerned.

"Jordan has a man who has associated with John Warren, who is the father of Dakota. He's the leader of that gang I was telling you about. He's the one who is responsible for Dakota's condition." I say angrily.

Katelin's eyes widen in realization, and she sets down her bowl of mac and cheese on the counter.

"Please, be safe. Don't do anything you will regret." She says.

She is terrified of what I do, she is afraid that I may not return home alive one day. If she loses me, she will be left alone with no family. I couldn't do that to her, but I know I can't make any promises.

She gives me a big hug, before I quickly leave the house to release my anger on this man. If he doesn't give me the answers I need, he will be in for it.

And so, I lurk in the darkness of the lock down facility, inching nearer to where this man is being held. My fists are clenched at my sides, and my heart pounds anxiously. I am prepared to fight and even kill for the answers. I am not to be tested.

And so, like a predator, I approach my prey.

I rip open the door that cages him, and stalk towards him. He is chained to a wall, rasping for air as Jordan delivers a blow to his ribs.

"Enough." I growl out through the dimly lit room.

I stalk towards the man, who is staring at me through swollen, black and blue eyes. He's an older man, perhaps in his early 60's. His hair is grey, and the look in his eyes says guilty. But by his face, he doesn't care. He doesn't care what he's done. He's a cold, evil man.

Jordan has informed me his name was Chet. But that's all the information he has given.

I pull a stool from the corner and sit down.

"I know you know where John Warren is hiding." I say.

The man smiles. His thin, dry lips turn into a smirk, and his shoulders shake lightly with laughter. It's a quiet laughter that bounces off the walls.

"Why do you find this funny, when you're about to die?" I question, my voice low.

"My life? I don't care. You can have it. I just find it funny that you'd think I'd tell you anything." The man taunts. His voice is weak, but his carelessness is strong.

I angrily rap my hands around the man's throat, and slam him against the wall. His chains rattle loudly as I stare the beast in the eyes.

"One more chance, grandpa, or I will blow your brains out."

The man rasps from under me, breathing harshly. His foul breath hits my face, and I cringe.

"Tough luck, kid." He manages to get out with a chuckle.

I growl out loud, and land a fist right into his gut. He curses under his breath, and I pull the gun from my waistband. I press the cold of the metal against his head, and cock it, letting him know just how serious I was.

But he wasn't budging.

He didn't fear for his life, he didn't care. And I wasn't going to waste valuable time trying to unlock his secrets. Most people will start talking once you hold a gun up to their head, but in this case, it was futile.

"Hell welcomes you." I say, letting my voice carry into his ears.

And then I do it.

I step back, and pull the trigger.

The man's head flies back into the wall from the impact of the bullet, and blood and brain matter sprays onto the ceilings and wall behind him, dripping into a mess on the floor. His body hangs limp in the chains, and I abruptly turn away from him.

"Jordan, clean this mess up." I say, storming out of the cell and stripping from my blood stained shirt as I do so.

I walk to a small locker room, where I change into a clean T-shirt. I had built this locker room specifically for times like these, because often times, not only myself, but also my gang members have families to go home to, and they don't want to come home stained in blood.

I trudge out of the room, still angry about the event that just occurred. I needed answers, and lack of answers in a situation like this makes me angry, especially when it involves an abused girl.

I know I'm not the best man out there, but abuse really gets to me. Probably because it really hits home, and I can't stand the thought of it.

So, I have made my decision.

I will tear the whole world down if I have to in the name of justice.

I will pursue every suspect who hides in the shadows.

I will destroy every man who spews lies from his mouth.

Because I am Ace, leader of The Revelation Gang, and I never will stop stalking those who wrong me.