Worst Nightmare (A Calum Hood Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Heartbreak

Heartbreak:

Calum's head tilted back as the alcohol burned down his throat, creating a nice warm sensation in his belly.

Against his wishes, his mind continued to torture him with the past, and wandered back to the night Devin had been taken.

-Flashback—

Katelyn dragged her tired body from the bed and went to see who was pounding on her door at 3 am. After months of crying her heart out, she was finally starting to feel semi human again, and had settled in for a good night of sleep.

This better be an emergency, she thought, as she jerked her robe off the bathroom door and slipped it on.

"Alright already!" she yanked the belt tight around her waist and stomped over to the door.

She yanked it open and her spine stiffened. Her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing here?" She stood in the door way, refusing admittance to her home.

Calum took in the anger flushed tint of her face. He mumbled, "What crawled up your ass and died?"

Not in the mood for his crap, she put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. "I'm waiting."

Calum ran a hand through his hair and snorted. I can't believe I'm doing this. He took a deep breath and stared into her eyes. "I need your help."

Katelyn's jaw clenched. She scoffed. "You used me, and then told me you never wanted to see my face again, after costing me my career as a cop, and now you need my help?"

Calum shoved his hands into his pockets and scuffed his foot. His eyes lowered to the ground. He swallowed to relieve the tightness in his throat. He raised his head. "Can I come in? I really do need your help."

Catching the urgent tone of his voice, Katelyn rolled her eyes. "Five minutes, that's all you get." She opened the door wider and motioned for him to enter.

He stepped inside and she closed the door.

"Well, start talking." She stared at the clock on the wall, timing him.

Calum sat down on the couch and ran his hand over his face. He knew coming here wasn't going to be easy. If there had been any other choice, he'd have taken it, but there wasn't- so here he was. Inhaling a deep breath, he dropped his hand to his thigh.

"It's Devin."

She blinked. "What about him?"

Calum replied in a defeated tone, "He's missing."

Feeling her anger subside for now, she walked into the kitchen and stood by the sink, forcing her emotions under tight lock and key.

Calum sat on the couch clenching and un-clenching his fist. He waited with baited breath, hoping she wouldn't throw him out the door on his ass. Devin's life depends on her cooperation. He repeated the mantra in his mind, forcing his control to the surface.

She brought back two cups of coffee and pressed one into his hand. Katelyn sat in the chair across from him. "Tell me what happened."

He blinked accepting the cup and sighed relieved.

"He was supposed to be shopping with Meredith, but they never came home. That was three days ago...Two hours ago I got a call."

His fist hit his thigh. "Meredith told me that if I ever wanted to see my brother again, I would meet her demands."

He braced for the speech he just knew was coming...

Katelyn just shook her head sadly and remained silent.

After a minute, he stared at her confused. "What? No I told you so?" he glared at her for being unusually quiet.

She continued shaking her head. "What would be the point? It's not like we're together anymore."

Calum winced at the coldness of her tone and recoiled as if she'd physically slapped him.

Katelyn rubbed her temples. "So why turn me for help?"

Calum placed the coffee cup on the table and leaned forward. His eyes pleaded with her as he explained, "You know I don't know jack shit about computers. I need you to help me track them down."

Katelyn tapped her chin and looked deep in thought a moment. Three months ago, he'd ruined her life and destroyed her career as a cop. She was finally starting to face life again and now he was back. She couldn't take this emotional roller coaster - not again.

Calum held his breath, willing his nerves stomach to calm down.

He felt his heart sink. "Please Katelyn; you're the only person that I can trust this to."

She stared at him in disbelief. Too bad I can't say the same thing anymore. She thought bitterly.

"Meredith said that if I involve the cops, she and the others she is working with, will kill him." His voice cracked as he spoke the last part.

She drug a hand down her face. She wasn't sure she could handle this. "Why not go to Jared?"

He slammed his fist down on the small coffee table. "He's out of town on business."

She snorted. "So, business is more important than saving your brother?" she glared at him with accusing eyes.

Calum growled. "Of course not! Dammit, I came here for help, not a lecture on ethics." His eyes narrowed. "I came to you because you know how to use the damned things and Devin is your friend. Are you going to help me or not?"

She stared into his eyes a long quiet moment. Seeing the pain in his eyes, she tore hers away from his.

She stood up. "I do this, and you're out of my life for good. No more coming to me for anything. No contact whatsoever, just like you told me that night. That's the deal Calum- take it or leave it." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him.

Calum bowed his head and swallowed against the tightness in his throat. He stared at her, as if searching her eyes for a minute.

She stared back at him emotionlessly.

His shoulders slouched a bit, before he straightened them. He stuck out his hand. "Deal."

She smacked his hand away. "Don't you touch me. You lost that right when you decided some new slut was more important to you than your high school girlfriend."

Calum clenched his teeth and shoved his hand in his pocket. "Fine." He muttered, refusing to make himself even more vulnerable than he already had. He knew he had no one but himself to blame for the mess between them.

-End Flashback-

It's been almost six years since then. Calum stared at the bottle a moment, as if it would actually give him some kind of answer. The moonlight shining through the window, danced across the bottle, mocking him.

He stood up, launching it across the room. The bottled shattered against the wall and glass splinters dusted the floor, mingling with the remnants of the booze; which matched the way something deep inside felt shattered and worse yet, it was all his fault.

"Fuck!" His eyes water with unwanted moisture. After forcing his un-shed tears away, his head dropped into his hands and he sat there, waging a silent war with the demons that never ceased tormenting him.