She looked older. That was it. There was something in her eyes too...what could it be?

Kay gulped. Telling Miguel she loved him would be one of the hardest things she ever would have to do, and she didn't feel like tonight was the night to tell him. Maybe it was just the fear speaking though.

"Oh, I was just thinking. About everything. About how everyone has changed so much this past year, it's crazy. I don't even feel like I know half the people I've grown up with,"

"Yeah, I know what you mean Kay...I know what you mean," More than you'll ever know he thought. "I've hardly gotten to spend anytime with you and Reese,"

"Speaking of Reese, did you hear his parents are getting a divorce?" She thought back to the rumor she heard from Simone the day before, and she was certain it was true. Reese's parents had been having a lot of problems recently, and whenever she visited him (which was rare) she would always walk into the middle of a screaming match.

"Oh, man," Miguel slapped his forehead, looking guilty. "Why didn't he tell me? He could have told me...I wa- am his best friend,"

"Don't worry Miguel, he just found out yesterday himself. He was probably just getting used to the idea, and if he told anyone, it would just make it more..." Kay searched for the right words, "Real. And sometimes we don't want to face reality,"

Hank glared at the cell phone that he held in his hand, fearing who might be on the other end of the line.

Roger just wouldn't leave him alone. He had been hounding Hank for the last month, with threats that his family would die if he didn't kill Sheridan. Hank had refused, of course. He wasn't a killer.

At least not yet.

He hadn't heard anything from Roger or his other henchmen lately, so he took that as a good sign. But now the cell phone had started to ring, and he was almost sure of who was calling.

Ring, Ring!

He had come to loathe that sound. It had brought so much misery to his life.

No, that wasn't right. He had brought the misery to his own life, the things that happened in the past were his own fault.

When he finally answered the phone all that would come out was a shaky "Hello,"

A french voice came on the line, sounding impatient, "Why have you failed to kill Sherridian?" the gruff voice demanded.

"Listen pal, I'm not killing Sheridan! Get that through your thick head, ok?"

Hank was about to hangup when he heard Roger say in a taunting voice "You wouldn't be so sure if you knew where I was right now," Roger glanced across the park at Kay sitting on one of the swing sets, with Miguel beside her.

Hank felt a lump form in his throat. "W-wh-where are you?"

Roger was enjoying every moment of Hank's torment. "I'm at the local Harmony park. Such a lovely place it is, I don't know why you don't come here more often,"

"Cut to the chase, Roger!" Hank demanded, grinding his teeth.

"Ok. Your niece Kay, I think that's her name, is also here with me. If you don't blow Sherridian's brians out within the next hour, I'm afraid your niece won't make it through the night,"

Hank could feel the panic tighten in his chest, and he had to force himself not to throw up. "You liar! Kay was planning on staying home tonight, so I don't know what you're talking about,"

"It's just too bad you don't know your niece very well, because she'll be the one who will end up paying for it," Roger smirked, watching Miguel playfully push Kay on the swingset. "You'll just have to take my word for it that she is here, unless you'd rather take that chance-"

"Come on Roger, can't we work out some kind of deal here?" Hank was grasping at straws, he knew what Roger wanted him to do.

"The deal is to kill Sherridian. Your pick,"

Hank didn't know what to do. He had been in this situation once before, but had managed to save himself. Now it looked like there was no way out, he had to keep stalling. Maybe Kay would decide to go home.

"I can't kill Sheridan tonight, remember? Luis is her bodyguard tonight, and there's no way I can get around him," Hank lied, hoping Roger would buy his story.

He didn't.

"Tell him you'll fill in for him. Ask him to take some time off...I don't care how you get rid of him, just do it!" Roger paused for a second. "And if worse comes to worse, kill him,"

"I can't do that!" Hank cried. "He's my best buddy,"

"Well then I guess you don't care very much about your "best niece". I'll be sure to tell her that before I kill her,"

Hank gasped. "No, wait-"

The reply was a dial tone. Hank sank down into his sofa, covered in books and magazines, wondering what to do. He prayed that Roger wasn't serious about killing Kay.

It's starting to get late. We should be getting back soon...but I so want to stay out here and continue talking to Miguel. I wonder if he will kiss me she thought to herself, grinning.

Kay and Miguel had been in the park talking and just enjoying each other's company for a little over an hour now. They talked about a lot of things, and it felt good just to let it all out. One thing they hadn't talked about though, was Charity. Kay couldn't bring herself to bring up that subject. She was too afraid of rejection, she had faced so much throughout her life.

"I've got the strangest feeling that someones watching us," Miguel said in a creeped out voice. "It's weird,"

"Come on Miguel, who would be watching us," she joked, looking around. "But you could be right, with all the weird stuff that's been happening lately, it's like something out of the twilight zone. Maybe we should head back?"

"Ok. Maybe theres some blueberry pie leftover that we could have for a snack," he suggested hopefully.

Kay laughed. She knew how much Miguel loved pie, mainly the famous Bennett Pie. She also knew that Pilar worked late hours at the Crane Mansion, and wasn't home often to bake for the family. She felt sorry for anyone who didn't get fresh homemade pies.

"Sure, I could go for some pie myself,"

Roger watched them from the bushes, and knew that he had little time left to make his move. He would have to act fast, and get it over quickly. He didn't want her to suffer, but it was just the price Hank had to pay for refusing to kill Sheridan.

With a loaded gun in his hand, Roger made his way toward the two teens. He figured he would have to kill Miguel as well. It was a pity, the boy was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Once he was only a few feet away from them, he yelled "Prepare to die!"

Finally things might start to work out. She was taking control of her life now. All she had to do was repair her somewhat broken relationship with Miguel, and things would be set.

Oh yeah, and get Kay out of the picture. How could she forget her dear little cousin Kay? Yeah, that cousin. The cousin who so very nicely spilled fish guts on her at prom. How could she overlook that tiny detail?

She would find the time to make Kay pay, but first she felt like a short walk in the park to help clear her head.

This page has been visited. Since June 19, 2001

Back to: Passions Fan Fiction
Back to: Passions Central