The Neighbor II

Forgiveness

Tom impatiently tapped his fingers on his bed as he sat and listened to the ringing over the phone. He was calling Cassie to let her know that they were on there own, that no one was willing to help them. After he got put down by his own agency, he called MI6 and several other places. 

Nothing. Not even the police. 

"Hello?" A tired voice answered. Tom let out a breath of relief. He would be lying if he said he wasn't worried Ben hurt her already. "Cass," he breathed, "it's me. Listen, I couldn't get anyone to help. I'm sorry, but I will try and get you out of there. Are you alright? Is he there?"

He could hear the shakiness in her voice, as she said, "Yeah. He's...he's sleeping." He nodded, than said, "Alright, then I guess now is a good a time as any. Think you can meet me out in the hall for a quick chat?"

"Yeah, I can do that," she said. "I'll be there in a few minutes." He smiled and told her, "Good. I'll see you in a few minutes." He hung up and set his phone on the nightstand. He needs to get her and the kids out of there tonight, but how?

Suddenly, he got an idea. He picked up his phone and quickly dialed a number. "If this doesn't work," he muttered to himself, "then nothing will." 

**

Cassie hung up her phone and sighed. "What did he say?" Ben asked from behind her, as he was in the same sitting position on the bed as he was a few hours ago. She turned to him and gave him a sad look. She had so much guilt, she couldn't stand it. 

"He said no one is going to help him. We're safe," she said. He gave her a pointed look and sharply asked, "You sure about that?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose. "I know I can't make up for what I did," she told him, "and I don't expect you to forgive me--." 

Ben sprang up from the bed and walked across the room. He had his hands in his hair, gripping it tight. "Cassie," he said through gritted teeth, "what you did was the stupidest...most idiotic...God, you are so fucking stupid!" 

This is what she was fearing all night. He's bottled up his anger enough, especially being awake by himself, leaving him to his own thoughts, and now it's all happening. Or, at least she thought. 

He took a deep breath, then said, "Never mind. It's done. We'll get through it like we always do. He can't do anything, he doesn't have anybody to help him take me down or re-open the case." Cassie was terrified at how well he was taking this.

It was then that she saw the bottle of anti-psychotics on his nightstand. He had five left, but now he only has two. She looked at him and quickly went over to him. "Ben, how many pills did you take?" She take. He started to laugh. 

"I'm serious!" She said. "How many?" He stopped his laughter, then looked down into Jess' crib. He smiled at her, then turned to Cassie. "I took one before I left with Jess," he said. "I took one more after you fell asleep because I started to get...really angry. Then, as I looked at your sleeping, unmoving body, I started to think of ways to kill you." 

Cassie took a timid step back. He continued, "I thought about smothering you with a pillow. Then I started thinking about grabbing a knife from the kitchen and slitting your throat. Then I thought about breaking your neck. I actually stood over you with a knife for a few minutes, but you never woke up. I wanted to see the life drain from your beautiful eyes. That's when I put the knife away and took one more pill." 

She had now backed up to the point where her back was against the wall. He started slowly stalking towards her. "I can't kill you," he said lowly. "I don't know why. You have a power over me. It's not love. It's not our children. It's something I can't figure out and it's bothering the shit out of me." 

He rested his hand against the wall, next to her head. He leaned his head down till his lips were grazing her cheek. She was panting and shaking with fear. "I should hang you from the top of this building for the world to see," he chuckled. "I don't care if I get caught because I already am, thanks to my wife." 

Cassie was going to get away from him, but he blocked her way by slamming his hand next to the other side of her head. She let out a frightened squeal and tightly shut her eyes. "You know," he said, as he ran his nose up her neck, "I'm not going to see you for a while if I go to jail. I'm not going to be able to touch and kiss your body ever again. I guess we better change that." 

He roughly grabbed her arm and started pulling her to the bed. "Ben, no, no!" She begged. "Please, I don't want to!" He threw her down on the bed and pointed at her. "Don't move or I will slit your fucking throat," he growled.

He turned around and picked up Jess' crib, carrying it to Michael's room. As soon as he left the room, Cassie took the gun from underneath the pillow and got up from the bed. She tiptoed out into the hall and saw Ben placing Jess' crib next to Michael's bed as she passed by.

Before he could turn around, she ran down the stairs and to the front door. She swung it open and saw Tom stand by his door. "Tom," she breathed in relief. "Thank God." His smile when she first opened the door was now gone. "What's wrong?" He asked. "Are you okay?"

His eyes flickered down to the gun in her hand. Before she could answer, she could hear Ben's footsteps running from the bedroom. Tom heard it too and stepped inside the apartment. Ben stopped at the top of the stairs when he saw the two standing at the door. 

He had a sinister smile on his face, which sent an uneasy feeling through both Tom and Cassie. "That's a nice gun, baby," he said. "I don't remember giving you that." Tom rolled his eyes. "That's because I gave it to her to protect herself and the kids from you."

Ben started slowly walking down the stairs. He started chuckling, "Oh, Thomas. I knew I should have gotten rid of you. You're putting thoughts into my wife's head and it will cost her everything." Tom stepped in front of Cassie when Ben got down the stairs. 

"I put thoughts in her head? What about you? You've killed more people than Ted Bundy and you've been making her keep it a secret from everybody, destroying the relationship with her family in the process! She's mentally exhausted from all of this! It was only a matter of time before she told someone!"

Ben craned his neck, so he could look at Cassie. "Is that true, baby?" He asked. "I'm ruining your life, is that it?" She shook her head and told him with tears in her eyes, "No, Ben, I love you. I love you so much, I just..." She was at a loss for words. 

He gave her a more sympathetic look, then said, "You could have just talked to me." She let out a laugh of disbelief. "You never want to talk about it," she cried. "You threaten me every time I bring it up. If I can't talk about with you, then who can I talk to?"

"Not a goddamn agent," he growled. "Not someone who can easily put me on death row!" He heavily sighed, then ran his hand over his face. "I won't hurt you--." Tom scoffed, "Oh, save it!" Ben gave him a deadly glare. "Fine," he said. "I want to hurt her. The moment you step away, I want to wring her neck and break her head open."

Tom raised his arm, pointing a gun at Ben. "I would love to see you try," he said. Ben started to laugh. "You didn't let me finish," he said. "I want to do those things to her, but I bloody can't! The need to see her dead is so great, but I just can't do it. Which is why, Cassie, I will forgive you. You just need to do one thing for me, baby, and I will forget this ever happened."

Cassie was shaking. He lowered his eyes at her and said, "If you love me...if you want me to forgive you...if you want to forget this ever happened...kill him."