Stepping Stones, Chapter 2 (Chad/Kay)
by WillowsAngel
 

Stepping Stones 2

The moment Chad heard the screams, he knew they were Kay’s. He moved faster then he thought possible as he ran towards the sounds. When he stopped the image that assaulted his senses began to fog as a deep rage over took him. Every time that animal touched her, every time Kay cried out had Chad losing all rational thought. It wasn’t Kay he was seeing now. It was Ethan taking Whitney to bed, it was Julian and Eve.

Without realizing it, Chad had ripped the slug off Kay and was now beating him to a pulp. After a few minutes Chad began to realize that he was the one screaming and that the man was almost unconscious. He looked down at the blood oh his hands and wanted to throw up.

He was ready to leave when he heard the whimpers behind him. He looked up to find himself starring into frightened desperate eyes. She was huddled next to the wall, her shirt was shredded and she had a bruise on her left cheek. He couldn’t walk away from her now.

“Come here.” He held out his arms and waited.

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Kay knew that screaming wouldn’t do any good, but She had to try. People minded their own business out her. He was too big. She couldn’t do anything to stop him as Bobby began to get rougher. Kay began to retreat to the place in her head that had saved her so many times before. Suddenly Bobby’s hands were gone.

Kay looked up to see someone throwing Bobby to the ground. Her eyes got wider and wider as her mystery hero threw punch after punch. Bobby didn’t stand a chance; the pure force of the man’s rage would have knocked him down anyway. But he wasn’t stopping.

Kay began to retreat back as she heard Bobby’s head bounce on the ground. She let go again. Her mind drifted back to when she was eight years old and she was surrounded with friends and family. There was always someone willing to give a hug. She looked up again and the images of her past blended with reality. The man held out his arms, but all she saw was her daddy, asking her for a hug. She ran into his arms, just wanting to feel safe again.

Chad clutched Kay to him as he heard her whimpers turn into sobs. He leaned down to hear her muffled words and realized she didn’t know who he was.

“Daddy, I'm so sorry, I tried to make him stop, really.”

Chad didn’t know what to do, so he just made nonsense words and rocked her gently as she let it all out. He didn’t know why comforting her was so important to him. She would have nightmares later, and no one would be there to hold her. He just couldn’t understand why he wanted to be the one to hold her, but it didn’t matter right now.

“What’s going on here?” A loud braying voice interrupted Chad’s introspection. He looked up to see a large, tall woman with weathered skin and peroxide blonde hair. It was easy to see that life had not been kind to her.

“Who are you and what did you do to my customer. And why is Kate crying?” Kay’s fear had turned to dread at Marge’s voice. She knew Marge would be furious at Chad for beating up a customer. She would probably lose her job. Kay wiped her eyes and stood on shaky legs, the man moved behind her in an oddly protective stance.

“Bobby…Bobby, tried to…” Kay could not finish the sentence but Marge seemed to understand.

“Bobby…tried to rape her.” Kay’s heart sped up as she realized that this was the man from the booth. She felt a shiver up her spine as the man rested his hand on her hip.

Marge was furious. “So you decided to almost kill one of regulars. And you. “ Marge advanced on Kay. “Kate, you never say no. You want this job, you do what it takes.”

“No. “ Chad’s voice rang out. “She will not.”

“And who are you to say what she will or will not do?” Marge didn’t like the angry and knowing looks in the man’s eye.

“I’m her friend.” Both Kay and Marge were shocked at his announcement. Kay turned around and looked up.

“Chad?” Kay’s voice was incredulous. But his eyes warned her to play along and she nodded and turned back to Marge.

“Kate, I don’t care what your friend says. Either you play by my rules or you’re gone.” Marge gave them a hard smile. She knew that Kate would do what ever it took. She was too desperate to leave.

“Then she’s leaving.” Chad spoke for Kay. He was seething that this nasty old woman would use Kay that way.

“Fine. Kate, get out now.” Marge’s expression made Kay cringe. She was about to plead for her job back when Chad put a hand on her shoulder.

“Go get your things, all of it. You’re not coming back here. “ Chad gave her a reassuring smile. He turned back to Marge and gave her a look that was purely Crane. It was a look he had perfected when he was in LA. He had not used it since then. Marge backed away.

“You are never going near her again. I’ve see rattlesnakes with more compassion then you. If you do threaten her again, I will make sure you regret it.”

He looked up as Kay came down carrying her duffel bag and wearing a different shirt. He took her bag and held out his hand. When her hand was nestled securely in his he lead her away from Jesse’s.
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Chad took a cell phone out of his jacket.

“Hello. It’s me. You know when you told me if I ever needed anything, you’d help? Did you mean it? Good. I need a favor. I need someone to pick me up and I need a place for a friend of mine to stay where no one will find her. Can you do it? Yes I ‘m serious, no; I’m not in trouble. Thanks.”

Kay had been watching Chad as he barked into the phone. They had walked for an hour until they were on the other side of Castleton. She couldn’t believe she had let Chad take her away. She couldn’t believe that Chad would want to help her. She didn’t know why she had given up control so easily. And now they had been sitting here for half and hour waiting for something. She shivered as the wind blew and Chad laid his jacket over her.

“Thank you.” Chad didn’t respond. His attention was focused on the car that had just pulled up. Kay’s jaw dropped in shock as Julian Crane stepped out.

“Hello Son.”

“Hello, Julian.”