Captured (Split Fanfitcion)

Chapter 16

The two of you finally arrived at the location, which was basically a block of flats in the city center. One of the houses was Dr. Fletcher's, and actually, this arrival made you nervous again even if you'd managed to face this feeling during your way. In complete silence, you followed your partner up to the stairs in the old building, looking for the proper door. Then suddenly he stopped just before the last floor. You felt your heart pounding in your throat, these mixed feelings started taking over you again. Dennis must have felt your worry so he turned towards you before knocking.

"Don't stress over this. As I said you don't have to do anything special. If she asks you then answer her, but that's all."

"Is this so visible that I'm being nervous right now?" You answered in sheepish voice.

He smirked "Well you look like you could collapse at any minute. But don't worry, Dr. Fletcher is really sympathetic."

"If you say so.."

Well, this conversation didn't reassure you for sure. If he could notice your stress then the old lady must see through your trying. Especially knowing that she was a therapist. You didn't want to run away though, according to Dennis she could be willing to help you at least a bit. And that was enough for now.

After some knocks on the wooden door, it opened and the familiar face appeared from behind it.

"Dennis is that you? Am I correct?"

"That is me, Dr. Fletcher." He responded with a smile whereto the old woman gave a wide grin in exchange.

"Oh, come in, come in!" She opened the door excitedly "And tell me Dennis" she chuckled softly as her eyes examined you under a moment.

"Who is this gorgeous woman on your side?" You felt a pale blush quickly rush across your cheeks at her compliment. It was basically an alien feeling to hear something like that from a stranger.

"She's a.." the man started but hesitated in order to think a proper answer "friend."

"Yeah" you immediately agreed with a smile.

"A friend huh?" She smirked gently then gave you a hand to shake. "My name is Dr. Karen Fletcher. What is yours, Sweetheart?"

"I'm Casey Cooke, it's nice to meet you." You shook her hand sheepishly. Dennis flinched lightly to this. It was actually the first time hearing your name as well. He made an imaginary note in his mind about it.

"It is indeed." She continued "I'm the therapist of Kevin and all of his individuals, but I'm pretty sure you already knew that. The guys, however, they haven't told anything about you, but I'm happy that they finally started to make some friends."

"She's new." Your partner interfered firmly.

"I see I see. Well, please make yourself at home!" She clapped excitedly and let you have space to come in.

You nodded and stepped carefully inside, looking around in the cozy apartment. Passing him by, the guy looked at Dr. Fletcher and lowering his tone, he started seriously "Did you get my message?"

The old lady's expression also changed hearing that. "Yes and I'm curious what could be so important. Let's go to the working room, and we'll talk about this."

With a kind move, she directed you to sit down. As soon as the three of you did so, the upcoming nerves have started pooling down in your stomach again. Repeating the same thing over and over again, you tried to calm yourself down. Why have you been so nervous? What this conversation cost you? It was not you who played riskily, but Dennis. Then? Just act naturally, this can't be that hard.

"So tell me, what's your problem exactly?" She was looking softly both of you with crossed legs.

"You see Dr. Fletcher, she is having a really hard time now." He started discretely referring you. "She needs a place to stay for a few days until she can set her things down. Now I know it's really big to ask but I thought maybe you could let her stay here for that time."

For a moment, the old lady couldn't really say anything in response. Her warm expression faded and it was clear that she was struggling to say the proper things. "I'm... flattered Dennis that you thought of me, but you know... it's not that easy. I have clients who come into this apartment for sessions just like you. And some of them deal with people pretty poorly, they are not as stable as you."

This made him think hard since he had to find out a great reason to make the woman convinced. You were sitting next to him silently, moving your eyes from one to another. It seemed your plan didn't work...

"Look, Dr. Fletcher, she can't go home at the moment, but obviously she can't stay with me either. You've been a huge support for Kevin and all of us, that's why I turned to you with this ask. Because I trust you enough."

'To trust you enough' this phrase moved something in her mind. It made her vulnerable. "I-I don't know.. I really can't do that." She answered quietly. For a moment you thought maybe this was enough to persuade her, but no, this seemed that it just wasn't good enough.

Dennis though, he didn't plan to give up. "Please, you're our only hope."

Everyone went silent for a minute. She was thinking, really hard, fighting with her own opinions just because the guy's words were so heart-breaking. He was playing, acting, you saw it wasn't the best, but seemed just enough.

"I'm sorry Dear" she turned towards you after a long hesitation. "but could you wait here? I would like to talk with Dennis among four eyes." with a smile she looked at you hoping for your understanding.

"Uhm, sure" you smiled back sheepishly. Actually, the woman's previous statement made your stomach twist since it felt like she was going to refuse the two of you. But still, there was hope now. You had to admit that Dennis was one hell of a stubborn and persistent guy.

Both of them stood up and the old lady invited your captor into the kitchen leaving you alone. No... this was not correct. He was not your captor anymore. A friend? Not one either even if you tried to convince Dr. Fletcher with this story. He was only an acquaintance for you... It was credible that you could clearly see he was trying to recompense his mistake. But still, a small part of you wanted to keep your guide up considering what he'd done. If those funny feelings could just stop finally...

If you concentrated on the other two people, you could slightly hear what they were talking about.

"Dennis, I thought you'd learned about the last time, that there's no point to acting in front of me. What is this? Who's that girl? Please tell me." She said with concerned eyes. This made the guy startle for a minute, but after a bit of hesitation, he started in serious.

"She's in a big mess right now. She can't go home and I can't invite her to my apartment, because.." he stopped for a second, but decided to continue "I-I can't. She really needs a place, a house, something where she can feel safe. And the police is after her-"

"What?" As she interfered, her eyes became more concerned. "Did she do something illegal? Did you want to bring here a criminal?!"

"No, no, no it's nothing like that." He quickly corrected the woman. "She's fine, she didn't do anything wrong."

"Then? Why else would the police be after her?" She asked confusedly. The sudden silence of her partner made a horrible suspicion raise up in her mind. "Wait a minute. She's on the posters outside right?" He didn't answer right after which led to even more concern. "Dennis, please answer me."

"Yes, she is." he said it with a deep sigh.

The therapist's eyes widened in shock. The small puzzle parts became one all of a sudden. "That basement... The calls and e-mails that one of you has kept sending to me... T-The posters of the missing girl." Every one of her sentences made her voice trembling in fear. She couldn't help but imagine the worst possibility. Especially because of the constant suspicion of Dennis and his little gang and their intention that she'd already known about. "Don't t-tell me, that.."

You've felt the tension growing in the air between them even from your place, as you were still stalking the two of them. This kind of atmosphere made your stomach twist as well. Knowing that now there's no way to him to be able to lie, he frustrated grabbed the woman shoulders not breaking the eye contact with her. "I had to do it. For everyone's sake, for Kevin's sake, I had to! And you have to understand it!" He set his teeth in anger.

Dr. Fletcher couldn't say anything because of the shock but silently trembling in the man's arms. She couldn't find the right words for this. Because there weren't any. "D-Dennis what you'd done is unacceptable! Did you really take the freedom of that poor girl?!" She whispered out shakily, fighting the upcoming tears back.

"I wanted to do that because this world that we live in is rotten! The monster would have clean it for us!" He snapped at her "But! She's Pure!" a dark grin appeared on his face that made his whole aura slowly becoming intimidating again even for you. "She's just like us, Dr. Fletcher!"

"D-Dennis you can't do this with the people! It's unacceptable and inhuman!" She repeated herself shakily, but seeing that her preachment did not seem to work, she gathered all of her strength for a firm command "Let me talk to Barry."

Dennis startled for a moment but snapped back again "This is a conversation that only the two of us should be part of. It's not Barry's business!"

This 'conversation started becoming a little too aggressive that made you feel anxious as well. She has been the guys' supporter for the whole time, but suddenly if you or Dennis didn't do anything you'd lose her. No, you had to interfere. But somehow, the limbs of yours became like stones that sink into the chair you've been sitting on. No.. this time you'd felt all of your courage disappear. The woman though, he stayed persistent to her right.

"Dennis, let me talk to Barry, please!"

The guy wanted to treat her again, but instead, he looked at you feeling your eyes on him. No doubt, you were staring at him with growing worry, telling him with telepathy to stop. It was not worth it, everything just has got too far. There was nothing that aggressivity could solve anyway. After noticing your concerned look, he slowly released the shoulders of the still trembling woman, sighing deeply.

"Alright.."

The two of you silently stared as the man stepped back and closed his eyes. After a moment he opened them again, and take the glasses down with a deep inhale. "What... Dr. Fletcher are you alright?" He exclaimed as he saw the old lady trembling, swiping down the tears from her face. "Dennis commanded me to use the light, but what the hell has happened." Then he looked around for a moment, and his eyes stopped at your site. "She is here! The girl who the Horde has captured!"

"I know Barry, I know." she responded quietly.

"Wait what?" He turned back to her in confusion "Did he tell this you?"

"Yes, but now I need your help, Barry." She lowered her voice so this time you could barely hear it. Yes, hilariously you didn't leave that place of yours, actually didn't dare, so instead, you just tried to listen to every word they were saying. The guy has finally stopped panicking and simply was paying attention to the woman. She cleared her throat before continuing "According to what Dennis said, this girl has nowhere to go. For some reason, she doesn't want to go to the police nor want them to find her. Not to mention that she can't go home. I don't know if I should trust her."

"It is weird to hear such thing from your mouth Dr. Fletcher" Barry smiled "In the basement, she didn't seem to be dangerous, to be honest. Although it is weird that she hasn't separated herself from Dennis and his group after.. all of this."

"Yes, this is what concerns me the most." She agreed "Maybe she has Stockholm-syndrome, who knows that."

"Maybe." He nodded with a serious expression "Also by letting you be here, maybe you could get to know about the purpose that the Horde has been planning. Well if it was decided by me, I would vote for helping her. It is not my apartment though, I am not the one who gives the answers."

"I see.. thank you for your help. Now could you please ask Dennis to come back? I still would like to talk with him properly."

"It is always a pleasure Dr. Fletcher" he nodded again then closed his eyes on more time. Taking back his glasses after opening his eyes, you were sure that it was Dennis in the Light again.

The old woman looked at right in his eyes, with a kind but a bit fake smile on her face. "Alright Dennis, I decided. Come here." She said while coming back to the working room. You quickly acted like you hadn't been listening to it for the whole time. You really wanted to keep up that 'innocent' character that they were talking about. At least just for this time. The old lady came to the table checking if both of you were here already.

"So I was thinking about this..." She started "But in the end, I knew there was only one outcome. For the first few days, until you can finish your tasks, I'll let you stay here."

Wait, what?

Your stomach twisted to her statement.

.

You felt that a new era could open for you with this.