I'll Fight For You

I went to get out of Jaime's car. Jaime grabbed my wrist and I stopped. I turned to look at him. "What?" I asked.
"I don't think you should go in on your own." Jaime told me.
"Why not?" I sighed. "Besides, Jess will be there."
"What if you find something you don't like?"
"Lauren said it could help me."
"And you trust Lauren now? She's one of the bad people, Han'."
"What if she's not?"
"That doesn't make sense." Jaime rushed.
"Lauren has only ever asked for my help."
"Is Vic putting these ideas in your head?"
"No," I shook my head. "I've just been thinking."
"What's changed?"
"I don't know. I think I should just see if there's anything Aidan's stuff could tell me." I explained.
"Be careful." he told me and I nodded.
I got out of the car and walked to Jess's house. I knocked the door and Jess answered. I bit my lip and Jess stood back to let me enter. I walked inside and Jess smiled.
"You okay?" Jess frowned.
"I guess." I shrugged.
"What's up?"
"Jaime." I explained.
"I'll talk to him." she told me.
"Are you two together?"
"No," she frowned. "But I'll talk to him."
Jess took me to the basement. We walked down a set of stairs and Jess stopped. She folded her arms across her chest and looked around.
"Nothing's changed. We didn't even tidy up." Jess explained.
"Is this okay?" I asked.
"Yeah." she finally nodded.
"Do you mind if I ask how he died?"
"No, it's okay," she breathed. "His girlfriend was getting a lot of bad things happening to her. She had to leave. After she did Aidan didn't want anyone else's help. He refused his friends. It was like she was the only thing that mattered. The monsters made him leave and kept him in this house. I don't know. We found him dead and his body all scratched up." Jess explained slowly.
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I'll be upstairs." she excused herself.
I watched her go and looked around the basement. There was a bed in the corner. But along one of walls was a desk cluttered with books and papers. Pinned to the wall were papers. I walked over and took a look through the books. I didn't recognise any of the titles. But on the wall were notes and pages roughly torn from books. I picked up a notebook from the desk. Inside were pages and pages of notes written by Aidan. One of the pages were bookmarked. I started to read, my eyes eagerly drinking in the words.
Sentences stood out to me. They shocked me to the point I nearly dropped the notebook.
'Need to stay with Savannah. Alone = Death. Page 18 - see Rich'
What does that mean? Maybe Lauren is trying to help me. She told me to stay with Vic. Aidan said he needed Savannah. She must have been his girlfriend. When she left he died. Is that what happens? If we don't have someone we die. I need this book. I need Rich, whoever he is.
I got out my phone and sat down on Aidan's bed. I called Vic and waited anxiously.
"Hi Han'." Vic answered.
"Hey, can you meet me?"
"Okay, is everything alright?" he asked.
"I don't know."
"What do you mean? Are you safe?"
"I'm safe," I told him. "I just need you now. I've found something."
"Where are you?"
"At Jess's."
"I'll be there soon." he told me. I hung up and threw the phone down on the bed.
I sat still, not moving for a while. The door to the basement opened and Vic walked down. I looked up and down again.
"What's up?" Vic asked. He sat next to me and I leant against him.
"If you leave me I'm going to die." I told him.
"What?" he rushed.
"I found something. It said if I'm alone I'll die."
"You don't know that. Anyway, you're not alone." Vic said quickly.
"Lauren told me to stay with you."
"And I'm here." he took my hand.
"I need to know what's happening. This could kill me."
"Listen to me," Vic snapped. He gripped my shoulders and looked at me. "You're not going to die. Stop saying that."
"He's right." I heard in my ear. I spun around and saw Lauren perched on the desk.
"Who's Rich?" I asked. Vic looked at me but didn't say anything. He knew I wasn't talking to him.
"He helped Aidan. He can help you." she told me.
"How?"
"He tells you what happened. That you need him."
"Vic or Rich?" I quickly asked.
"Vic. You need Vic." she said and stopped. She winced and gasped as if she were in pain.
"What happens if I leave Vic?"
"You die." Lauren replied simply.
"Is that why he died?!"
"Yes." she agreed.
"Are you trying to help Hannah?!" Vic suddenly called out loudly.
"You don't have to shout." I told him.
"I'm helping her." Lauren said.
"What did she say?" Vic asked.
"She's helping me now."
"Are you one of the bad people?" Vic asked. Lauren shook her head and I copied her so Vic could see.
But then Lauren fell back. Her eyes darkened a little and she turned her wrists around towards me.
"Not yet!" I yelled.
"My wrists are bleeding. Help me." Lauren said tightly. And she disappeared.
"She's gone." I told Vic. Vic hugged me to him and I smiled. Vic leant down a kissed me gently for a minute.
"You'll figure this out." he told me.
"Something's making her go away."
"And you'll find out what."
"Thanks." I smiled. Vic stood up and walked over to the desk where Lauren was.
"Rich?" Vic asked.
"Yeah." I nodded. Vic pulled a piece of paper down that was pinned to the wall.
"Here's his number." Vic said. I got up and rushed over to him. I took the number from him and grinned. I reached up and kissed his cheek.
"You're brilliant." I told him. Vic wrapped his arm around me and I started to lead him back out of the basement.

Notes

Hey! What did you think? The plot thickens. Were you expecting that? Do you think Hannah will die if Vic leaves? Why will she die? Do you think Vic will have answers? What's the connection Hannah and Vic have? Do you think Lauren is one of the bad people? :)