University Roommates (Restart)

Emily:
I let out a shaky breath as I dialed his number and put the phone to my ear. Dont answer, I thought. Maybe they would get so annoyed with the lack of progress that they would leave.

Ashton:

I started drinking when Alicia left for work and I had been steadily drinking since then. When Emily called I knew I shouldn’t answer. I looked at her picture on my screen as the song played. Don’t answer it. Don’t answer.

“Hello?” I said, quietly to disguise the slur.

Emily:
I tried to control my voice, but I was clearly sobbing. I tried to use it to pretend I just missed him. "Ashton..." I said into the phone. I never called him Ashton. "Please come home, I miss you," I cried and looked at the man with the gun, hoping he was satisfied with my effort.

Both men watched her quietly. They wouldn’t make a noise while she was on the phone, not unless they had to. Surprise was the best route when it came to Ashton.

Ashton:

“Em… I can’t. I can’t…” I said and leaned my spinning head back against the wall. There was nothing more I wanted to do than to go home to her. To let her work things through with me. To help me figure everything out. But it was better for her if I stayed away.

Emily:
I kept crying into the phone. I knew that if Ash didn't come, that didnt mean these guys were giving up. You dont bring a gun just to have a conversation. They planned to do some serious damage if they found him. "Ash, please listen to me," I said, still crying, hoping he was paying attention. I eyed the gun in the taller mans hand and took a deep breath. He had to get out of town and he wouldnt do that unless he had some kind of warning. "There are two men looking for you and they have a gu-" That was all I could get out before the phone was ripped from my hand.

Ashton:

My blood turned to ice at her words. “Fucking bitch is going to pay for that,” I heard a voice say close to the phone. It was familiar but I couldn’t put a name or a face to it. My head wasn’t spinning anymore.

“Don’t you dare touch her.” I stood up and paced the room, scanning the floor for my car keys. “Leave her alone. I’m coming back. Just leave her alone.” I grabbed my bag by the front door and frantically dug in it for my keys.

Emily:
I couldn't hear Ash anymore, but it didn't look like they ended the call, so I hoped he listened and is getting out of town or something. My side was burning from where they had already hit me and I stood, trying not to tremble at the words "fucking bitch is going to pay for that." 

"You dont have the element of surprise anymore. Maybe you should just leave," I tried.

He hit her across the face and knocked her down when she got up. “You hear that? She doesn’t behave well. Better hurry before we get too far. And try anything. I ain’t afraid to kill this bitch,” He said then hung up. “Get the tape.”

The other guy pulled a roll of duct tape from a bag and tossed it over. He forced her onto her stomach and grabbed her arms roughly. He looped the tape around her wrists several times behind her back. He didn’t care if it was too tight. “He ain’t John Wick. He’s not gonna come in here guns blazing. We got his girl and he knows it. Now, you wanna back talk more? There’s plenty of this.” He held up the tape

Emily:
I tried not to scream when he hit me across the face, but I did.

I couldn't pretend i wasnt scared. In a panic i tried in vain to free my wrists. My eye felt swollen and i tasted blood from what i thought what a split lip.

"Please stop!" I yelled through the tears. I wasnt brave. I begged and cried the entire time.

He pulled a strip of tape off and stuck it over her lips. In the next fifteen minutes, they were not kind to her nor were they particularly restrained with their hands.

Ashton:

I knew what I was heading into when I parked the car. I could go in with my gun raised, but there was a chance that I could hit Emily, or that they would shoot her in spite. On top of that I wasn’t entirely sober, even with the effects of adrenalin. Even on a normal day I wasn’t a perfect shot. It was too risky.

So, I went in bare handed. I unlocked the door and left it wide open. “Put your hands behind your head,” A voice called from the dark living room. I closed my eyes and did as he said.

Emily:
I heard the door open, but through the pain, it barely registered. My arms were so sore from bring tied behind my back and my constant pulling on them to get free wasnt helping. I had spent the time since the phone call with my screams muffled by the tape. My clothes were torn and my hair was pulled. I couldnt feel where it was coming from, but there was blood on the ground next to me.

Ashton:

I walked into the living room with my eyes closed. I opened them now that they had adjusted to the light. The sight of Emily treated the way she had been set my blood on fight. I looked to the two men who were responsible with a death threat in my eyes.

Ernie and Justin. I had fought them both before in the ring. I never liked them. They had been good friends with Mark and his cousin.

Justin held the gun pointed at me while Ernie crouched next to Emily with a sick grin. I wanted to punch his teeth down his throat.

“Sit on the ground Ash. Keep your hands up. One wrong move and I’ll shoot this bitch, understand?” I did as he said. There was no other option. If either had been closer to me, I might have had a chance. Not like this though. Not with a gun aimed at Emily.

I sat on the floor with my hands still behind my head. Ernie came over and pulled my arms back to tape my wrists. I couldn’t look Emily in the eyes.

Emily:
I sniffled and tried to control my cries. I still didnt know what they wanted with Ash. He hadnt listened to my warning at all. It was all for nothing. I blinked my eyes open to look at him and mumbled against the tape when i saw they were taping him up too. My feet were the only things i could move and i tried to kick anything I could reach.

Ashton:

After taping me up, Ernie left us alone with Justin carefully stepping around Emily’s flailing legs. I sat quietly cursing myself for ever bringing Emily into this. How stupid of me to even stay with my sister. At least she was somewhere safe.

“I’ve had it with this,” Justin said and went over to Emily. He hit her over the head with the gun. I lost it. I jumped to my feet about to rush him when I heard a loud crack and a searing pain in my ribs. My vision blurred slightly at the pain but I saw Justin coming at me. He punched me in the stomach a few times and pushed me down.

In the next few minutes they took us out to a hauling truck and tossed us in the back. They had to drag Emily. We were locked in darkness

Emily:
I dont know how long everything was dark for, but when i opened my eyes, i was in the back of a moving car. I moaned at the pain in my head and tried to roll over into a more comfortable position

Ashton:

“Emily? I’m right here, don’t be scared,” I said. I was oddly calm. It didn’t matter what happened to me, I just had to get Emily out of this situation.

I had found a screw stilling out of one of the metal wall that had lost its plastic protective cap. I worked on tearing the duct tape behind my back. I was nearly done otherwise I would have shuffled over to her side in the dark.

Finally, I felt the tape separate. I ripped it off and hurried to find her in the blackness. My hand found her body and I carefully pulled her into my arms. She was in far worse condition than I was. My side was wet with blood, but my guess what that the bullet had only grazed me.

"I'm here," I murmured, tenderly supporting her in my arms.

Emily:
I gasped in pain when I felt his hands and I felt the duct tape on my mouth give away. My hands were still taped together and even if it hurt, i felt so relieved to be in his arms. "Ash..." I sobbed, feeling overwhelmed. "Are you okay?" I asked, trying to be quiet.

Ashton:

I blindly felt for the edge of the duct tape and pulled her free from it. “Don’t worry about me,” I said. “What did they do to you?” I asked sharply. It a way I was glad that we couldn’t see each other. It made it easier to think when I couldn’t see the work they had done on her.

Emily:
As soon as my hands were free, I reached for him. My wrists felt raw from the tape but I wrapped them around him anyway. I didnt want to tell him what happened. I knew it wouldnt do any good and only make him feel guilty.

My entire body hurt.

"Ash what is this?" I asked, my voice turning horrified. His entire side was covered in what I could only assume was blood.

Ashton:

I winced when she touched my side. “It’s nothing, Em. I’m not as hurt as you are. What did they do?” I asked again. It was loud now. The vehicle was moving fast. Likely on the freeway. I wished I had been paying attention to turns and directions, but I had been more focused on getting out of my bonds.

Emily:
I shook my head even though I knew he couldnt see it. I was shaking and it was from the cold. "I tried to warn you so you would leave town or something. You weren't supposed to come back Ash," I told him. I didnt want to say what happened to me. Not out loud. Not yet.

Ashton:

“There is no way in hell I would leave you knowing you’re in danger. Don’t ever ask that of me. It won't happen.” I thought about how she was avoiding my question and my stomach turned. “Emily. What did they do?” I asked firmly, squeezing her a little without meaning to.

Emily:
I took a deep, painful breath. I was pretty sure a few of my ribs were broken. "There was a lot of hitting..." I started, really wishing he would stop asking me what happened. "There was some touching..." I said, more quietly. I couldn't stop the way my breath sped up, the beginning of a panic attack. I knew now wasn't the time for that and I pressed my face into the crook of his neck. "My whole body hurts," I said. It came out sounding like a whine.

Ashton:

I closed my eyes and tried to swallow down the fury. That wouldn’t help her now. “Fuck. Emily, I’m so sorry. I should have been there. I should have protected you. This should never have happened…”

Emily:
"What do they want with you?" I asked, ignoring his guilt. I knew he would feel that way, and I didnt want him to. It wasn't his fault that two maniacs have it out for him.