Chapter 67: 38-Catharsis-2

My knees were knocking together as I stood up; I knew where she was, it really wasn't that hard to guess, knowing that my sister was off of her rocker, it was obvious that she wouldn't run. What she would do was try to go on with her life like nothing had happened. It was hard to believe but then I knew her better than anyone else, I had seen firsthand what her crazy phase was like and the one thing I'd learnt was that when she was like this, rational thinking was a very distant concept. It was like she'd become a totally different person, someone who would switch off their emotions, someone monstrous, ruled and controlled by something very dark. I was well aware of the risk I was taking as I started driving towards my house. She was out of control, she could and would do anything without a hint of remorse but if I didn't end this then it would go on forever; her presence in my life, the power she would hold over me, the guilt that had always linked me to her since the day of the wedding, none of it would ever go away so this was it, this was the time to sever any tie I had left with her. The lights were out as I pulled into the driveway; no one else was at home but I knew there was most definitely a team of security trying to discretely follow me. It was rather obvious and comforting to know that I had the back-up I needed. Carefully I walked inside my childhood home, memories of my time here playing inside my head like a photo reel. Olivia had been with me through a lot, she was always there holding onto me when I broke down but the sister I knew was long gone and the one that had taken her place...well I hardly knew her. Light streamed in from the pool house and I could hear the sound of water splashing. Swimming...she was swimming after she'd shot someone, it was like every ounce of humanity in her had died. Anger was a soft word for the feeling that burned red hot in me but I needed self-restraint when handling her; she knew how to take advantage of emotions and play them to her own advantage, it was exactly what she'd done to Zach and me. She was leisurely wading through the water when I entered. There was a serene, almost angelic smile on her face like she was so at peace. "Took you long enough, baby sis." My heart threatened to jump right out of my chest but I tried to not show it; control, I needed to muster up all my courage and self-control for this moment. "You were expecting me?" My heels made a click-clack sound as I settled on a pool chair. A hint of a smirk appeared on Olivia's face as she skillfully continued her backstroke. "Totally. You were never one to sit back and enjoy the show, not when you could have a part to play as well." Her words confused me, they didn't sound as cool and collected as she was trying to make them sound and I knew what she was hinting at - Zach. It would always come down to Zach. "So what do you think I'll do now?" "You'll cry, tell me how much you hate blah blah blah, cry some more, give me a lecture on morality and then guess what? You. Will. Cry." "You think I'm weak, you think you could do anything to me and I'll do nothing about it, give or take a few tears?" "That's right, I mean I killed that bastard child of yours, I had Zach leave you, broke up that fake little relationship for good and today I shot him but I'm still here aren't I? You're pathetic Ari, always have been always will be." I counted to ten in my head; take a deep breath Ari, now was not the time to lose control, if anything now was when I needed to beat Olivia at her own game. She'd stepped out of the pool and was drying herself with a towel before wrapping it around her waist. She waltzed up over to me looking like the picture of ease and with shaky legs I got up to greet her. "So what's the plan? The lecture or the crying first?" she asked as her lips pulled up into the ugliest smile I had ever seen. My palm made contact with her cheek before I could stop myself. I really really needed to get the smug smile off her face. She looked stunned and snarled, raising her own hand to hit me but I grabbed her wrist and twisted it painfully, making her shriek. "That was for those weeks you kept me locked up," I spat and used my free hand to pull her hair with the full intention of ripping it out. Her eyes were ablaze with fury as she shot vicious glares at me. I slapped her hard again, satisfied when I successfully left a print of my hand on her face. "That was for what you did to Zach and me." She struggled against my grip as I shoved her up against a wall, slamming her head into it and used my knee to kick her in the stomach, watching her writhe in agony. "And that was for what you did to my baby, you bitch." She'd only just recovered from the previous blow when I pulled my fist back and aimed for her nose. The way she was cowering, not defending herself at all empowered me, letting me feel that I could do anything to her that I wanted. Instead of hitting her, I dragged her by the hair towards the pool, shoving her face into the water and watching her struggle to breathe. "That's what it felt like when I was losing my child! Like I was dying, like it was my lost moment to live!" I shrieked, possessed by an almost animalistic need to kill the person who'd taken something so precious away from me. "Ari, Ari stop!" Bruce entered with about five men behind him, all with guns in their hands. I didn't stop however; I couldn't if I wanted to. I pulled her up by the hair and then dunked it in the water again as she coughed and spluttered water. "Arianna you will not kill her! Let her go!" Bruce commanded and tried to loosen my grip on the struggling Olivia. "You want me to let her go? Do you know what she's done?" I sobbed as my hand on her hair loosened on its own accord. "Yes we do and she will be punished for it but not by you, we have the law for that and I will personally make sure that she gets the punishment she deserves." As he was calming me down, another man in a black suit had lifted a semi-conscious Olivia from the ground and was escorting her out. Her chest still moved up and down so she was alive but had Bruce arrived a little later... "Get a grip on yourself, Arianna, she isn't worth it. She's done enough; don't let her ruin your life anymore." He gave me a fatherly hug, one which had me crying shamelessly on his shoulder; it felt good to get it all out, I felt lighter, better but still not quite whole. "Shh it's okay, everything's going to be okay now. Come on, let's get you to the hospital, there's someone there who's asking for you." There was a hint of a smile in his voice and I pulled back immediately. "You mean..." I dared not get my hopes up; my heart started racing in anticipation. Was he implying that...? "Zach's awake, Liam was there with him and he told him that you're back. Poor guy almost lost an eye, Zach's not happy that we brought you into this." He grimaced but the small smile on his face didn't go; he was happy and what I felt was tenfold of that. "You can go in now, Mrs. Price," the nurse told me but my feet refused to move. I felt like I was cemented to my spot, like my legs had become lifeless so when the same nurse gave me a weird glance I didn't really know how to respond. "Go ahead Ari, he really wants to see you." Liam came up from nowhere and placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. "But what...what am I going to say to him?" I stuttered, my face heating up at the prospect of seeing him after all this time. "Go in, once you see him the words will come to you." He smiled, making it seem like such a trivial matter but that did nothing to curb my nervousness. I was still frightened as hell, not knowing if I could ever face him again. "Come on, go, he's waiting for you..." He nudged me and then placed his hands on my shoulders, literally pushing me in. I was in a zombie-like state, a rag doll who could be taken anywhere without protest. I felt incredibly nauseous as I was mere inches from the door to Zach's room and knowing that he was on the other side caused massive butterflies to erupt in my stomach. Here I was someone who'd been through so much and still the idea of seeing Zach made me feel like the teenager I truly was. What was wrong with me? With a final push from Liam, I stumbled into Zach's room and my breath got caught in my throat as his eyes shot up the second the door opened. Oh My God. Breathe Arianna, remember to breathe. Don't cry, whatever you do don't cry. He looked fine, not like he'd just been shot but that was only because a sheet covered his wound. My body reacted greedily to his presence, like it had had enough of being starved of being near him; thumping heart, check, heavy breathing, check, blushing cheeks, check, trembling knees, double check. We both stared at each, not daring to speak. The air crackled with tension and pent up emotion as his alluring blue eyes bore into mine, tenderly, softly like they were seeing right into my soul. I felt myself being pulled to him, tugged by an invisible string. It was strange how fragile he seemed to me, like one touch and he'd disappear. He watched with an astonished expression as I leant over him and cupped his cheek, the light stubble teasing my fingers. "Ari..." He gingerly placed his own hand on top of mine. "Shh, don't talk. You need to rest." I smoothed the hair away from his forehead, enjoying running my fingers through his silky hair. "You shouldn't be here," he whispered like he was scared, like he thought I wasn't real. "I'll be wherever you need me to be and right now you need me here Zach, no arguments." He looked transfixed, his eyes watching my every small movement. He gave a weak nod; I could tell that he was exhausted. "Lay with me?" he asked, surprising me with the request but at the same time filling me with warmth. He tried to scoot over but I stopped him, called in a nurse and had them arrange another bed which they joined to Zach's. I shifted as close to him as was possible and lightly placed my head on his shoulder, kissing his collarbone. "Ari?" he asked, his voice laced with sleep. "Hmm?" "This isn't a dream is it?" I let out a soft laugh and kissed his cheek. "No, no it isn't. "