Donna met us outside the hotel. "So, how did it go at the hospital? Everything okay?" she asked me with a curious smile. "Umm.... not exactly" I said, and quickly hobbled inside, Brian right behind me. He got me into the elevator after some persuasion, and we got to our room. "Brian, I'm not hungry, you guys just go for tea (or dinner, supper) without me" "Are you sure? You don't want me to stay with you?" "Nah, I'll be alright, I just want to sleep - get all this out of my mind, I'll feel better tomorrow" "Okay, I'm going to leave my mobile phone here with you.... you know Nick's mobile number, and pager number, right?" "Yeah.... 555 2337, and 555 1903" (I'm sure you know, but for those who don't - these are not his real numbers- I don't know what they are) "Alright, now you call if you need anything, absolutely anything, or if you're in trouble, page me if you can't get to the phone, and put 911 in the message okay?" I nodded. I flopped down onto the bed, and put my head in my hands. "Rain, are you sure you'll be alright?" "Oh B.... it was horrible" I started, with my head still in my hands, Brian had to sit down to hear me properly. He wrapped his arms around me once again as I talked. "He.... he was so.... so rough.... I was so frightened, I could feel him.... I could feel him getting stiff.... I'm just so glad you came in when you did.... I was scared to think about what he was going to do to me.... thank goodness you came! Why did you though? I thought... before it all happened.... that you'd just wait in the waiting area with the others until I came back out again with 'Dr. Carter'." "I was getting impatient to know if you were alright.... so I walked through the doors and heard a cry from the far corner of the corridor.... it was a scared cry though, and as the hospital was practically empty, I had a horrible feeling it was you.... when I came in and saw it was you.... I was horrified, I couldn't believe anyone could do that to you.... I had to get him off you" I held him tighter than before. "Shhh..... don't cry - you remember why" "I can't help it" "I know you can't.... I'm really sorry about all this" "Don't be.... you weren't to know" "I know.... but I had a feeling when he called your name, there was just something not right about him.... wait, did you say Dr. Carter?!" "Yes.... at first I thought it was funny.... I asked him if his name was Nicholas, and he said no, it was Gene.... he was Gene Nicholas Carter" "That's weird.... but at least he's gone now" "I hope so.... I mean, this could turn into another Scream 2" "Don't worry, he's gone now.... now, you try and get some sleep, Nick and I will be back as soon as possible" "B?" "Yeah?" "Thanks" "What for?" "For being you.... for being impatient, concerned, for coming to see if I was okay, for getting that creep away from me" "Hey, it's all part of the job description" "What, a knight in shining armour saving a damsel in distress?" "Yeah" "Ah, my knight" Brian leaned in to kiss me.... but even though I know I can trust him, I still flinched and turned away. "I'm sorry Rain" "It's okay.... I just think it'll take a while for me to get over it.... I know I can trust you, it's just...." "It would remind you of it too much, and you don't think you can handle it right now?" "Exactly.... I'm sorry" "Don't be sorry, that creep should.... or if I ever see him again, he will be" "No B, just let it go, I just want to forget about it" "Okay, you've got my phone, you know Nick's mobile and pager numbers, you can page me if you can't get to the phone or vice versa, now, just lock the door after I go, and don't let ANYONE in until Nick and I return okay?" I nodded. I laid back on the bed and closed my eyes. "You'll be okay" "I hope so.... now, you go eat, I'm just going to sleep anyway" I put my hand under the pillow and pulled out my pyjamas and put them beside me. "Okay" We got up and walked to the door, and as he walked out, Brian turned round and squeezed my hand. "I love you" "I love you too B" He flashed me that million-dollar smile of his and walked down the corridor, and waved as the doors of the elevator closed. I went back in the room and locked the door, just as Brian told me to, I changed into my pyjamas, leaving my clothes in a heap at the end of my bed, I was just too tired to move them. I then laid on the bed, I put Brian's mobile in my left pocket and the pager in the right and zipped them up, I then tried to relax and I closed my eyes. ~~~~~ Downstairs ~~~~~ "Is she okay Bri?" Howie asked. "She's just going to sleep, I gave her my mobile and pager just in case she needs anything, she'll call Nick's mobile, or pager if she can't get to the phone if she does, is that alright?" "Of course" They all left the hotel and got a couple of taxis (or cabs) to a new Italian restaurant they'd seen an advert for in the lobby of the hotel. About three quarters of an hour later, after a while of tossing and turning, Brian's mobile started ringing, just as I was drifting off to sleep. I thought maybe it was Brian checking on me. "Hello, Brian?" "Well, hello Miss Wightman, I'm sorry, but this is not Brian" "Who is this?" "Someone you met today, I'm sure you remember" The voice was so creepy, it had been muffled, maybe by a handkerchief on the receiver, but I knew right away who it was. Dr. Carter. I sat bolt upright in my bed. "How did you get this number, why aren't you in police custody?" "All in good time my dear.... now, I got the number from your records today, your boyfriend's name was in the space of guardian at time of admission, and so there was a little number next to his name, and I'm not in custody because there was only one officer on duty.... I knew that stethoscope would come in handy...." I didn't know what to say, I was so scared. "Cat got your tongue?" He said, giving a little laugh "Why are you calling me?" "Because my pretty little flower, I always like to finish what I start, and I'm coming for you" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I unzipped my other pocket and punched in Nick's pager number, and quickly pressed '911' on the message. ~~~~~ at the restaurant ~~~~~ "Bri, I'm sure she's fine, she locked the door, and she went straight to sleep, we'll be back soon, we can check on her when we get back to our room" Nick placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I hope you're right Nick.... but I just have this feeling.... " He stared out of the window. He could just see the hotel from the restaurant, and on the top floor, right in the corner, there was our room. The light was off. He assumed I was asleep. "Dessert sir?" the waitress asked "Umm... no, thank you" He said, only glancing at the girl, who, although young, didn't recognise them. He turned back to the window. "Are you sure Bri?" "Yeah Kev, I'm sure" "B-Rok, I know she's been through a lot today, but as Nick said, she probably went straight to sleep, she's probably dreaming of you as we speak!" "Yeah.... maybe she is AJ, but maybe...." He loosened up a bit after that, but the thought was always in the back of his mind. .... about 10 minutes later .... "Yeah, that was funny, wasn't it?!" "That's the spirit Bri!" Howie laughed, he was glad that Brian was finally loosening up. "I can't believe she actually flashed the bus!" Mid-laugh, Nick's pager went off. Brian tensed up immediately, as the whole table went silent. "911" Nick said, his face growing pale "I've got to call her.... but I told her to page you if she couldn't get to the mobile.... I've got to get to her!! Howie, can I borrow your mobile, just ion case you hear from her again?" "Sure" Howie handed him his mobile, and Brian sprang up from the table and ran out into the street, flagged down a taxi and told him to go to the Mariott Hotel as fast as he could. "Oh man!" AJ mumbled "That's an understatement babe" Bree added "We've got to get the police" Kev said, pulling out his mobile, just in case I called Nick's. He dialled 999 (the UK emergency number). "Good evening, which service please?" the operator asked "Umm... police please" Kev replied "Okay, connecting you" Ther was about a 30-second wait before someone answered. "Hello?" a male voice asked on the other end "Hello, I'd like to report...." ~~~~~ back at the hotel ~~~~~ "H.... how do you know where to find me?" My voice was getting shaky. "You told me you were in the lift at the Mariott Hotel, it was just a matter of time before I called the hotel and got the receptionist to give me your room number, seeing as I'm a doctor, and you're having a medical emergency" I remembered telling him about the lift. "D'oh! Stupid Lorraine!" I thought to myself, slapping my forehead. I had to get out of the room, out of the hotel. But I had to find out where he was first. "So where are you now?" "Oh, you want to get out do you? Well, I wouldn't bother if I were you, I'm just coming out of the lift now" As he said it I heard the little 'ding' the elevator makes when it reaches the floor it's stopping at. I also heard the doors open. My heart began to beat faster, remembering what had happened before in the hospital. I was trapped.... I only hoped that Brian had got my page. I paged him again, putting '911 - help!' in the message....