This Impossible Year [Brendon Urie Fanfic] <COMPLETED>

Do It 5, 4, 3, 2, One More Time

(Brendon's Point of View)

   I sat in shock as Ryan practically cackled with glee. I just couldn't understand it. How could a human being harness someone's voice? Not even their voice, but just their singing voice. It wasn't possible. It couldn't have been.
   But it was happening. I was jolted back to reality when Cecily suddenly stopped playing the piano and burst out crying. Ryan scowled and placed the locket around his neck. He lifted his hand and reeled back, ready to slap Cecily.
   "STOP!" I yelled. Ryan froze and looked at me, fear flashing through his eyes briefly before being replaced with anger. He lowered his hand to his head and smoothed his hair back.
   "You care a lot about this girl, don't you," Ryan sneered. He said girl as if he were referring to a rat. I stayed silent. "Nothing? Fine then. I'll be right back." With that, he turned on his heel and stormed out the door. He left it open behind him.
   Sarah reached behind my back and started tugging at my wrists.
   "Babe," I sighed, shaking my head, "it's not going to work, we already tried. My hands are too big. These things aren't coming o-" I was interrupted by a subtle click, and the pressure of the cuff on my left wrist released.
   "Be quiet about it. They left the key on the piano overnight," Sarah whispered in my ear. I nodded slightly and tried not to look relieved. Instead, I focused my attention on Cecily. She seemed to have fallen asleep at the piano, her head turned so I could see her face. Bruises lined her cheeks and some dried blood sat on her lip from where it cracked once. Her eyes danced around behind her eyelids, and, every once and a while, her face contorted into different expressions. It didn't look like she was having a good dream.
Another small click and my right wrist was free. Sarah went to work at my Gucci metal belt, compliments of George Ryan Ross the Third. I heard heavy footsteps outside the studio and elbowed Sarah to warn her. She stashed the key in her bra just before Ryan stomped through the doorway. Cecily bolted into an upright position as Ryan slammed his hand on the piano. He pulled his hand back to slap Cecily.
   "NO!" I yelled, lunging forward. I sprang out of the bindings and ran at Ryan, and he watched me in confusion. I tackled him to the ground, and I pulled the locket from his neck and threw it to Sarah. "Keep that safe," I called to her. "Get Cecily and get out!" Sarah stood quickly and ran to Cecily, grabbed her arm, and pulled her out the door.
I pinned Ryan's arms to the floor on either side of his head, and kneeled over him. His chestnut hair fell back to reveal his chocolate eyes, once filled with innocence. He had light stubble across his chin, jaw, and upper lip. I looked at the man who was once my best friend, and barely recognized him.
"Bren," he breathed. His eyes scaled my face, examining every detail. "It's been so long," he whispered. I simply nodded in agreement. I hoped to God that Sarah had decided to run for help.
"You know," Ryan spoke coyly, "my friends will be here any minute now." He smirked at the fact that I was breathing hard. I hadn't eaten much that week, and tackling him to the ground definitely took effort.
"Your goons?" I asked, trying to gain my composure.
"Yep." He giggled and looked at my hand clamped down on his left wrist. Then, with a serious expression etched across his features, Ryan looked me dead in the eye and asked me a question. "What are we?"
There wasn't time to answer, or even make a face at Ryan. Zach flew backwards through the open doorway. I averted my attention from Ryan in time to see Zach quickly roll over and stand. One of Ryan's goons barreled through the doorway shortly after, his hands ready to fight. The next thing I knew, I was on my back on the cement floor, Ryan sitting on me in the same way I was sitting on him moments before. Amusement tickled his eyes and a sly smirk formed at his lips.
"Hey there," Ryan chuckled. That was when the brawl started. Everything passed so quickly. I hefted myself at Ryan, and we started wrestling on the ground, each of us trying to stay atop the other. Zach was in a fistfight with Ryan's henchman, and Sarah and Cecily were hopefully long-gone. A mere few minutes had passed and sirens filled the air. Ryan jumped off of me and ran to the door. His goon followed him. They tried to run, but Zach and I held them back. This time, Ryan and I were throwing punches, and Zach was being dragged slowly behind the large man that Ryan called his friend. The fighting was taken outside. Zach lost his grip on the goon's arm. The man turned on his heels and hefted me over his shoulder. I kicked at his face and pounded on his back before he tossed me into a dumpster. I slipped as I pulled myself to my feet, my nostrils filled with the stench of mold and decay. I watched as Zach was shoved against a wall, and his head hit the brick with intense force. He crumpled to the ground. Ryan sprinted off down a random street. Just as four cop cars arrived. Two policemen jumped out of their vehicles and took off after Ryan. Two more pinned and cuffed the goon.
"Sir, are you okay?" One of the officers called out, pulling me out of my daze. I nodded and climbed out of the dumpster. The two officers wrestled and finally shoved the goon into their patrol car and drove off. Sarah emerged from another car and ran to me. We embraced and I pressed a kiss to her lips.
   "You're okay," Sarah sobbed into my shoulder. "We're okay." I placed my hand on Sarah's hair and pulled her closer. It was a joy just to hold her again. Back in the vehicle that Sarah was in, Cecily sat, her hands folded in her lap, and her head down. She wasn't moving, aside from her nervous tic.
   Sarah stepped away from me and pulled the locket from her neck. I smiled and kissed her forehead.
   A while later, the officers that ran after Ryan returned, to my dismay, empty-handed. Ryan had gotten away.
   "We'll keep looking for him, sir," the officer assured me. "Until we find him, we will increase your security." The officer continued to talk, but I tuned him out. All he was saying was that my little bit of freedom was gone.

•••

   The officers took Sarah, Cecily, and I to our hotel room to allow us to pack up. Cecily sat quietly on the bed as Sarah and I answered questions. Once we were packed up, the officers didn't hesitate to get us on a plane. We flew to where Josh and Tyler had continued the tour.

•••

   "Wait, so you were kidnapped?" Josh asked. I nodded. I had been catching up with Josh and Tyler while Sarah took a nap. It had taken some persuasion, but, after the officers couldn't find anyone related to Cecily, they allowed me to take her with me.
   "Woah," Josh exhaled, leaning back. He ran his hand through his yellow hair and blew his cheeks out. "That's intense." I nodded again. "So, wait, try to sing again." I laughed and shook my head.
   "There's no sunshine," I croaked, then I burst out into coughs. Josh chuckled and then apologized.
   "What are you going to do about it?" Josh asked, leaning over to grab his soda off the coffee table in the tour bus. We were sitting in the tv area, Josh on one end of the couch, me on the other.
   "You know," I admitted, "I'm not sure." Josh took a swig of his pop and then leaned back again. His face twisted into concentration. He suddenly sat up.
   "You could smash the thing," he offered. My lips twisted into a smile.
   "That's a great idea."