Song Remains the Same

Chapter 101: The Rise of Dick

"I think you have to pay for love with bitter tears."
- Edith Piaf

His hand pushed against her mouth bruisingly, the back of her head ached against the hard tin shed, and he stood way too close—his weight and his other hand were preventing either of her arms from movement, trapping her in silence and stillness.

Even though Zip was an inch or two shorter than Alex, he was strong and he'd managed to make sure she had no way at all of getting any kind of jump on him whatsoever. Her blood pounded hard in her own ears and her hammering pulse matched her racing breath as her petrified eyes stared into a face she thought she never had to look into again. A youthful almost-teenage countenance was in front of her, and he was just as she remembered: owner of a head full of unkempt sandy brown curls and pale blue eyes set in a plain, clean-shaven face. He still wore jeans that were slightly too-long and a hoodie that was a little too big on him. Oddly enough, Zip's expression wasn't foul or hostile despite how he'd all but attacked her just now. To the contrary, he looked worried and then when he knew she'd recognized him, his hand softened on her mouth.

"Don't scream," he whispered, then slowly took his hand away.

Alex responded by writhing viciously against his hold as she got her wits back. "What the hell are you doing here?!" she demanded, a sound of frustration and anger escaping as she found that he was way too strong to break free from. The tin shivered as she fought his grip. "Let go of me!"

He didn't. His baby-young face showed desperation and his voice matched—he sounded urgent, like it was life or death, and his hands only tightened further on her arms. "I know you don't wanna see me and I know you said you'd kill me if you ever saw me again but Alex, it's not safe for you here!" He paused for effect, his expression over the top with an earnest pleading quality. He continued to beseech her. "If I could trace your brothers to this cabin that means they can too. Dick wants you, he won't stop until he has you, and I don't know what he'll do when he does!"

Alex winced and groaned from exertion as she tried to yank out of his steely grip. "You're crazy, lemme go!"

Zip's face descended into a dark expression. "I'm not crazy! I'm not the one mooning around planting a garden and dancing with bees while the entire fucking Leviathan population is out there to get my woman!" Alex went still, looking at Zip with a slightly-horrified expression. He had been watching them? He'd been watching Cas? Suddenly, Zip seemed a lot more threatening to her. He was dead serious and right in her face, his hot breath hitting her face as he spoke. "Look, I am here to tell you this: Dick Roman is seriously gunning for you. Like, won't stop until he gets you. So let me help you, please!"

"Help me?" Alex asked, her tone implying that was unthinkable. He was crazy.

He looked astonished by her reaction to him. "Yes! Let me protect you!"

"...Protect me?!" she echoed in growing incredulity. She struggled again valiantly, getting intensely angry when he didn't let go. "I want you to get away from me!"

Zip's hands tightened on her painfully as sudden intense anger flared in his eyes. "I'm not the enemy, why don't you fucking see that?!" he demanded, shaking her once so hard that her head knocked against the tin behind her. "I've only ever helped you and loved you! Stop holding what I am against me!" He sounded deranged and obsessed, and Alex found herself wishing so hard she hadn't been stupid enough to assume Zip was gone for good. I am so screwed...