Daphne

What happened? I felt like I'd been hit in the head with a sack of bricks. I rubbed my eyes and opened them, expecting to be in Mason's bed, but instead I was in a cold, dark room.

"Mason?" I called out.

"Oh, he's not coming to save you this time," the voice that haunted my nightmares answered.

The lights flicked on, illuminating Patrick's basement in his house. In Florida.

"Happy to be home sweetling?" he asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

I didn't answer. I wouldn't say a thing to this monster. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

A hot sting met my face. I hadn't even noticed him approach, let alone slap me. What was going on? This must be a dream. Wake up Daphne. Wake up and Mason will make you feel better.

I pinched myself over and over, but the nightmare wouldn't go away. Patrick was still there standing in front of me with a wicked grin on his face.

"I asked you a question."

This had to be a dream, it couldn't be real. I couldn't be back here.

But it was real. And so was the fist that connected with my stomach. And the foot that collided with my ribs.

I shut myself down like I used to when he was like this. I zoned out until he was finally done with me and left me on the floor of the basement.

I heard a lock click at the top of the stairs. I was stuck here. All alone.

I curled up into a ball and let my tears flow out. When my eyes were finally dry, I closed them and pretended I was back home with Mason. Because that was home. This never was.

____________________________________

Mason

"Tell me you found her."

I'd been pacing back and forth in my office for hours waiting for news.

"I'm sorry. We're moving as fast as we can."

"Well move faster!" I shouted. "I'm sorry, I just...what do you have so far?"

"Video surveillance of her leaving the building. We are getting video surveillance from around the area to see if we can find something there and we are taking eye witness reports. Your girl is on every news channel in the state and some nation wide. We're gonna find her."

"I know, just please hurry. I'll do whatever it takes to get her back."

____________________________________

Daphne

I'm hungry and cold. I don't know how long I've been here or how long it's been since Patrick's last visit. It's hard to tell from down here.

I miss Mason. Will I ever get to see him again?

The door to the basement opened and my thoughts turned into fear when Patrick strode in with a grin on his face.

"Looks like the pretty Princess got herself on tv," he said in a sickeningly sweet voice.

I was on the tv. He said that to mock me, but all it gave me was hope. Someone's going to find me and bring me back to Mason. All I have to do is hold on.

___________________________________

Mason

"Come on Fred, please say you've got something."

I was pacing back in forth through my living room like I had been every day for the last week. I had barely slept and only ate when Kat threatened to force feed me. I was a complete mess, but I didn't care. All I cared about was getting Daphne back. I promised I would protect her and I failed so miserably.

"We do. The store across the street had video surveillance right at the entrance and caught part of the license plate to a car we believe belongs to Daphne's abductor."

"Only partial?" I asked and Fred nodded. It was better than nothing I reminded myself. It could be noting. "Can I see it?"

"We have our best people working on it-"

"Please," I cut him off. I just wanted to see something that could lead me to her. I needed hope.

"Everyone will be gone for today," Fred told me and I groaned, frustrated. "But you can come tomorrow."

"Thank you Fred, thank you. What time?"

"Noon."

I agreed and walked Fred out. Please let this lead to something. Please let me have Daphne back in my arms.

____________________________________

Daphne

Patrick was pacing back and forth in front of me and I was waiting for him to make his next move. I was on almost every news channel nationwide and he was getting nervous.

A cup shattered on the wall above my head and little shards of glass rained down around me. More catching skin than not. It didn't matter anymore. I barely felt the pain at this point. I barely felt anything.

I knew Mason was looking for me, but I didn't know how much longer I could hold on. I hadn't eaten or drank anything since the second time Patrick visited me which had been ages ago and I was getting weak. Patrick went back to using me as his anger management punching bag and I fell into my old role too easily. Only it was more intense this time. I'd never seen Patrick this angry and he wasn't even drunk.

I heard the door slam and sighed in relief when I noticed Patrick had left the room. He was probably going to go get a drink which would only make things worse for me later.

____________________________________

Mason

I got to the police station right at noon and was taken to Fred's office.

"Thanks for doing this," I told him.

"Sure thing."

Fred motioned to his computer and showed me the image of the license plate. It was blurry and not even half could be seen.

I sighed and put my head in my hands.

"This isn't enough," I said softly. I felt completely defeated.

"We will find her Mason."

I sighed and looked back at the screen. There was something there, right above the numbers. I squinted and zoomed in to the blurry letters.

ida

And then the lightbulb went off.

"Fred, this is a Florida license plate."

"Yeah, what's the point?"

"Daph said she used to live with Mason in Florida."

This was it. I got it.

"We know all of this Mason," Fred said. He didn't get it.

I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the pictures until I found what I was looking for. I had taken it the night Daphne told me about Patrick.

What a cute little apartment you have. Too bad you'll be coming home with me soon. I hope your little rebellion was worth all the things I'm going to do when I have you back.

I showed it to Fred and I could see the moment he understood.

"He couldn't seriously be that stupid," Fred argued. "But if he was..."

We found her. We found Daphne.

"I'll call some guys from Florida and see if they know anything. If she's down there, I'm going to go and bring her back to you."

"You're insane if you think I'm not coming with you."

"Then I'm insane. You're a civilian, you can't come."

"Fred, I swear to God." My jaw clenched and my hands tightened into fists. Nothing was going to keep me from getting to Daphne.

"You have to listen to me and do exactly as I tell you."

I agreed and went home to shower and eat. I didn't want to look like a complete wreck when I saw Daphne and Fred promised to call if he heard anything.

____________________________________

Daphne

"Answer me damn it!" Patrick shouted and threw a punch into my already bruised stomach.

I wouldn't talk, I wouldn't say what he wanted me to say. I wouldn't lie and I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of giving in. I stayed silent and took what he threw at me.

"Let's see if this will get you talking," he laughed then walked away. When he came back he had a knife in his hand.

Utter panic at the crazed look in Patrick's eyes. He'd never cut me before, he'd only ever used his fists.

"Are you scared sweetling?" Patrick asked, swinging the knife as he stalked over. "Maybe you should learn to listen."

Patrick lunged and a stinging sensation came across my face. I lifted a shaky hand to my cheek, knowing what I would feel. My fingers came away with sticky, red blood on them and Patrick laughed the most horrifying laugh I'd ever heard. He was going to kill me.

____________________________________

Mason

"How much farther?" I complained from the back of the van. We'd contacted local authorities in Florida who'd dealt with Patrick before. They led us right to him and now we were so close.

My foot tapped nervously and I kept checking the time on my phone. Five more minutes. Five more minutes and I'm getting her back.

The van came to a stop outside an old, rundown house.

"Here's the plan," Fred dove right in. He'd gotten blueprints of the house and sorted his men into two teams. One would go through the front door, me and Fred included. The second would through the back door. That covered both entrances to the house minus the storm cellar out back.

"Don't get yourself hurt," Fred reminded me and we set off.