Bittersweet Endings

Chapter Twelve

It didn't take us long to arrive at the old warehouse, and I wasn't the least bit surprised to discover that there were cars everywhere. Most people thought that the good fights happened on a Friday but they didn't Thursday was the night to fight if you wanted to fight someone decent. I could see that there appeared to be a lot more expensive cars than normal and that was interesting.

"Is there something special going on tonight?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, word got around that 'Invictus' was fighting tonight. A come back they are saying." Max replied.
"All these people are here because I'm fighting tonight?" I asked giving him a curious look.

"Given that you’re the only female that has entered this warehouse and won you’re a bit of a celebrity around here and people know if you're fighting it's going to be a good night, something that hasn't happened in a long time." He replied.

I nodded, that made sense. I still couldn't believe that this many people would show up just to see me fight. Going unnoticed until I fought would be harder now, especially with invictus written across the back of my hoodie. I looked into the backseat at Scott, he had a strange look on his face but I didn't have time to question it. He did however have something I wanted, the jacket he was wearing.

"Hey, do you mind if I borrow your jacket?" I asked softly.

He looked a little confused but nodded his head. Climbing out of the car he slipped the jacket off his shoulders and handed it to me. I slipped my arms in and pulled it around me, it smelt like Scott and I had to stop myself from taking a deep breathe in. He had always smelt amazing and calming and I didn't particularly want to be known as the weird one smelling his jumper. I pulled the hood from my jumper up over my head and began to walk towards the entrance with the two boys. As we got closer a look of realisation crossed both of their faces and they finally clicked onto why I wanted the jacket.

The line to get in was long and moving slow, thankfully I knew we would be able to bypass it. Normally fighters entered around the back but it was going to be quicker to get in this way. It was interesting that even at an underground fight event they still checked ID's to make sure no one too young got in, it could get rather violent and messy.

The bouncer took one look at Max and let him straight in but as I had my head down when I went to follow him I was suddenly faced with a large body, he wasn't going to let me follow Max.

"Where do you think you're going miss, back to the end of the line." He stated, shoving me slightly.
I could feel the rage inside of me brewing and just wanting to thump this guy but I knew it would do me no good.

I recognised the bouncer from when I was fighting several months ago and instead of thumping him or grabbing him around the throat I simply looked up at him. Recognition quickly flashed in his eyes and I heard him mumble and apology, I wasn't really listening. Instead I let him know Scott was with me and entered the warehouse. It was one big room with a door way that led to the locker room and showers.

"Feel special?" Max asked as I continued to look around the room at all the people.

"A little. I'm going to find Jesse. Look after Scott for me." I said walking away.

"He'd be in the locker room." He yelled out.

I waved my hand over my head letting him know that I heard him and knew that he would take good care of Scott, after all I had explained earlier Max was the one who would understand the most about having someone special. I walked towards the locker room, just as I was about to reach the door way I felt a hand reach out and grab my ass. I didn't care who it was, they would quickly learn that you don't just grab people because you feel like it. I formed a fist and quickly swung around hitting the guy in the middle of his jaw.
"Keep your filthy hands off me and any another women that you think you're entitled to touch." I spat at him, not wasting another second to close the distance between myself and the locker room door.

I reached my hand out to open the door, when I was met with another hand on my arm.

"Sorry miss, you're not allowed back there." He said. He was here to stop the fan girls raiding the locker room, throwing themselves at the fighters.

"Oh is that so." I replied, smirking. I lifted my hood so that he could see who I was.

His eyes went wide and he quickly moved his hand back and got out of my way.

"Don't stress, it was all part of the plan to not be recognised." I said to him, patting him on the back as I walked through the door.

I pulled my hood back up and walked down the corridor to the locker room. I didn't hesitate as I pushed the doors open, there was several guys in towels, getting dressed or undressed or simply standing around. Half of the guys in here I had already seen naked and not a single one of them had my attention. I could tell though as they started to notice me in here that some of the new guys weren't sure of me.

"Look out boys, cover up." I called out with a laugh.

I could see some of the guys faces go bright red, it was rather humours that they could beat the shit out of other people but yet couldn't handle a girl in the locker room. Some of the fighters that had been around for a while called out hello's, I waved back.

"No need to be embarrassed boys, I've seen it all before!" I said with another laugh.

Looking around I couldn't see Jesse's colourful hair anywhere, turning around I scanned the room again to ensure I hadn't missed him. I looked around for anyone I knew, preferably someone I had fought. I glanced across the room and spotted someone I had fought the night of my last fight, 'The Lone Wolf.' I walked over to him and tapped him on the shoulder, he turned quickly and smiled at me.

"What can I do for you young lady?" He asked.

"Not what you think, do you know where Jesse is?" I replied.
I could see disappoint flash in his eyes, there was an ongoing rumour that many of fighters wanted to see who I would bang first, not realising that I didn't like been touched. He pointed to the showers and I nodded back. Knowing that he hadn't fought yet I wondered why he was in the showers, it could be from practice but that would be pointless if he was going to be fighting again tonight. I walked into the showers, still ignoring the naked males around me quickly spotting the colourful hair. I was quiet as I approached him and once I was in touching distance I leant up and covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" I whispered in his ear.

"Oh I wonder, how many girls get the opportunity to enter the locker rooms." He replied, I could feel his cheeks rise in a smile.

I let go and he turned around, reaching out to wrap his arms around me but I pulled away, giving him the look. He frowned slightly but quickly smiled again when he remembered where we were.

"Who's in charge of the roster for fighting tonight?" I asked him.

"Billy's working tonight, so it's either him or he will be able to happily help you to who is." He replied, wining at me.

I nodded my head and thumped him in the shoulder, before walking out. They all thought Billy had a thing for me, even though I told them otherwise. Plus even if he did they knew my rule. As I was walking out I heard one of the new fighters ask Jesse how he handled me just walking in and touching him, I heard him mutter something about how smooth he is with the girls. He also explained to the new guy that he would get used to me, that when I was fighting I would just waltz in like one of the guys and to not hit on me because I didn't date fighters. I chuckled as I walked out, he was right I didn't date fighters, there was often more drama then necessary with them. Pulling my hood back up I exited the locker room and made my way back down the hallway to the door I entered through.

I stopped just outside the door and looked at the guard, I could still see the surprise on his face. I asked if he knew where Billy was and when he pointed him out across the room, I thanked the guy and gave him a small smile.

Putting my head down I made my way over there. I still wasn't ready to be noticed and bombarded with questions and picture requests. It was going to be unavoidable later but for now I was enjoying the peace that come from been here. It took a lot longer than it should have and required a lot of pushing and shoving to get through the crowd.

"Hey Billy, I was just wondering who I'm fighting tonight?" I asked him quietly, not wanting the people around us to hear.

He turned around to see who was talking to him, although it should have been easy unless there was another girl fighting now.

"Hey you, I'm not sure I haven't got the list on me. I know it's going to be a long night as we had a lot more people sign up tonight, must have been a crappy week for everyone. You're up first, there'll be a five minute warning before we start." He replied.

"Great, just what I need. Thanks." I replied, there was no sarcasm in my voice, I wasn't kidding with the way I was feeling right now the more fights the better.

I left him standing there not wanting him to get the wrong idea, I heard him go to say something else to me but I really wasn't in the mood to deal with him and his shit tonight. I scanned the crowd, mainly down next to the ring knowing Max always had front side seats given that most of the fighters trained in his gym. Despite the fact that a majority of us trained together it never really gave us an upper hand. I'm glad that I didn't have to go out the back to wait for my name to be called I could simply walk up from where our seats were. I made my way towards the group, smiling when I saw that all the boys were there together and laughing slightly when I saw the look on Scott's face, it was priceless. I think he was in shock.

I greeted everyone again and let them know I was fighting first, that's when the boys informed me that none of them were fighting tonight, they were here to support me and didn’t want to risk been on the receiving end of my emotions, I was a little grateful right then that they had thought about that. I had just thought how I wouldn't enjoy beating the shit out of them but I was just going to go with it, explained why Jesse had taken advantage of the showers wouldn't want to smell while he was hitting on the girls.

We continued to chat until the five minute warning was heard, I moved so that I had my back to the wall and slipped Scott's jacket off, this way no one could see the back of my hoodie. Handing him my jacket I leant against the wall and looked up to Kai, resident DJ and fighter introducer. As I was looking up at him he glanced in my direction, how he knew it was me in amongst all these other people I didn't know, he gave me a sneaky smile informing me that he was going to do something that I didn’t particularly like.

Max came and stood next me against the wall whispering in my ear  that the guy I was fighting was coming, I peeked up from under my hood to find someone I hadn't seen before. A new guy, someone who is probably thinking of all the rumours about me and wondering if they were true, he will learn the hard way just like everyone else.

Suddenly Kai's voice echoed through the speakers spread throughout the massive warehouse.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to this fine establishment on this glorious Thursday evening. You're in for a treat tonight, yes the rumours are true. Invictus is back!" He said, shouting the last part. He paused for a moment, waiting for the crowd to quieten down, I never realised I was that well known.

Once the crowed had calmed down enough he started playing a song I'd never heard before, this set off part of the crowd all over again. "In fight one we have Fox" as he introduced this guy he walked into the ring. Then he started playing my song 'Somewhere I Belong' by Linkin Park, and that set the rest of the crowd off. Removing my hoodie I walked towards the ring. "And a girl who clearly needs no introductions… Invictus." I stepped inside just as he was finishing. The guy looked surprised, clearly not expecting to be fighting me first up. As quick as the look appeared it disappeared and was replaced with a cocky smirk, the same one I'd seen time and time again, by other fighters who thought of me as just some little girl.

As we waited for the referee to turn up we started at each other, he just continued to give me the cocky smirk of his, I kept my face blank. I couldn't wait to wipe that smirk off his face, just like I had done with all the others. The referee finally made it through the crowd and into the ring, he quickly told us to keep it as clean as we could and walked out. There was something about me and referees that caused them to make a quick exit. Probably stemming from that one time I floored one. And this guy definitely made sure he was not between me and the person I was fighting. A confused look crossed the Fox's face, he had obviously never heard or seen any of my fights. The night I floored the referee it took both Caleb and Jesse to drag me off him and the fighter. Jesse even copped one to the face that night, I wasn't in a good place.

Back to the present, I waited for him to make the first move, because like all of the rest that's what they liked to do. They thought if they could get the first hit in it would be over quickly. He went for the same move as all of them aiming directly for my face. I spun around avoiding his fist and slapped him across the bag of the head like a child, causing the crowd to start laughing. The crowd seemed to enjoy it when I fought new guys, I loved to taunt them. They deserved every second of it, thinking of me as some girl who had no talent, easy to beat. Like always the move just angered him. He swung around aiming out of anger and not skill. I dodged it and hit him fair in the jaw causing him to stumble slightly. I quickly brought my leg up and kicked him in the stomach causing him to stumble more before he lost his balance and landed on the ground. I jumped down and straddled him, giving him a smirk of my own before I started laying into him.

Not even two minutes later and he was begging me to stop, not wanting to be made any more of a fool. I got p and walked out, grabbing my hoodie. I slipped it on as I walked  through the crowd, receiving congratulations and good fights from people. I just nodded, making my way through the crowd to where I saw Jesse, Caleb, Scott and John move to. I left Max standing by the ring, he had another fighter up next so he would be preoccupied.

"Hey boys." I said smiling.

"Hey girl, nice fight. It didn't take long to have him begging for mercy." John said.

"I know, he deserved it. Giving me that cocky smirk, saying you're a girl this will be easy." I replied.

I felt someone grab my hands and went straight into defence mode until I realised it was Jesse, he was examining my now bleeding knuckles.

"I wish you would tape them before you fight. They wouldn't bleed so much then." He said, I could see the concern in his eyes.

"I know but it is what it is." I replied.

I looked over to Scott but he was looking anywhere but me. I believe he was beginning to understand what he was getting himself into.

Unknown Point of View
She looks even more beautiful then I remember. The last time I had seen her had been over a year ago. She was just as feisty as ever. I always did like them feisty. I couldn't help but wonder if she will be happy to see me. I really have missed her, she was always my favourite. It has been too long since the last time we talked. I needed to bide my time this time, I didn't want her freaking out and saying anything. I'm going to speak to her tonight, I just have to time it right. I've waited so long for this night and I was going to enjoy every second of it.

Joey's Point of View
I stood with the guys scanning the crowd. It had been hours since we arrived but the night had progressed quickly. I had been in two other fights since the first, always winning quickly. Scott hadn't said anything to me all night. I couldn't tell what he was thinking. It was time for the last fight, I was up again another new guy, this one had potential though, I had noticed him watching me during my other fights so he had an idea of how I fought. I was hoping that he wouldn't treat me like a little girl like everyone else had been for the whole night. I needed at least one decent fight.

I heard Kai call us up, I did one final sweep of the room and stopped. It couldn't be him surely. He had left. I glanced around again and the face was gone. I was imagining it. I made my way down to the ring, climbing straight in. The new guy got in only a few seconds later, the referee quickly went through what he needed to before climbing out of the ring again. I was surprised that they still held this against me, it's not like it would happen again I had more control now.

We were ten minutes into the fight and neither of us had managed to get the upper hand yet. I had a black eye forming, along with maybe three cracked or possibly broken ribs on the left side and maybe two on the right. I knew the injuries were there but I couldn't feel the pain right now, not with the amount of adrenaline running through my body, later would be hell though. He went to throw a punch to my left side, which I quickly side stepped and swung around kicking him in the stomach, this caused him to stumble giving me the perfect opening to finish him off. I took it.

It didn't take long after that for him to tap out, the referee walked back in declaring that I had won. I walked over and helped the guy up. He looked shocked at first but then accepted my hand.

"Thanks for the good fight. It may not any kind of consolation prize but you have a good fighting style and with some more training you'll be running rings around these guys." I told him as he stood up.

"Thank, I know this may not seem like a compliment but you fight just as good as any guy." H replied.
"Thanks." I replied before turning and getting out of the ring. I wanted to find Billy get my money and get out.

I found Billy quickly and he handed me the ten thousand dollars. I walked back towards the ring and found the guy I had just fought standing off to the side. I took one of the stacks of cash and handed it to him. He went to say something but I shook my head and walked away before he could say anything. He deserved. He was the only one who bothered to treat me like another fighter. I walked back through the crowd making my way over to the guys I was almost to them when I felt someone grab me. Turning around I had my fist ready to punch whoever it was that had a hold of my arm, that was until I saw those eyes. I froze. He was meant to be gone, gone forever. Instead here he was standing in front of me. I think my heart literally stopped.

"Hey there Joey baby." He said casually, the same smile gracing his face as it always had.

I couldn't help the shiver that ran through my body. That voice, the voice of my nightmares. I couldn't talk, I was still in shock. I went to yank my arm free but he tightened his grip. I winced. I was covered in bruises and my ribs were killing me. I couldn't look at him any longer and diverted my gaze, he had left. I hadn't seen him in well over a year. Why had he come back. I wasn't going to be able to handle this, he is the reason that I am here, that I'm a fighter. I told myself I would never be defenceless against anyone like him again and yet here I am frozen. I could hear footsteps approaching us but I couldn't even bring myself to look up and face him.

"I think you better let her go right now." Jesse said, in a tone I'd never heard before and if I didn't know Jesse it would have scared me.

I felt the pressure release from my arm, I could feel his breathe on my ear. He told me to meet him outside in ten minutes, and that I wanted to obey him or something bad would happen. I didn't want to go find him but I knew when he said something would happen he meant and there was no way of knowing what exactly it was that would happen. I wasn't about to let anyone else get hurt over this, over him. I didn't acknowledge him but he knew I would be there.

"Are you okay?" Jesse asked softly.

I turned to look at the group, they looked concerned. I don't think they had ever seen me freeze like that before. I couldn't have them asking questions.

I nodded my head and gave them all a small smile, then I gave them a look that told them I wanted some time to myself. It was perfect they wouldn't follow me because they knew I would lose it. I walked away and went straight for the exit, they had no reason to be concerned. They didn't know who he was or what he had done. I walked past the bouncer who wouldn't let me in before and around the corner, it would only be a matter of minutes before he joined me. I wanted to defend myself but the adrenaline had worn off and the pain was getting worse. I'm sure he had been counting on that.

I was praying in my head that he didn't want what I thought he wanted. But deep down I knew he did. He always did. The past had come back to haunt me. I was only waiting a few minutes when he rounded the corner. There was a small part of me was hopeful that he would just forget about me. I hated the control he had over me. It was like there was a switch in my brain that turned on whenever he was around, it told me I had to do everything that he wanted and I hated it.

"I see you came. Just like the good little girl I remember." He said, giving me that same smile.

I couldn't help but shrink away. I nodded in response, knowing that's what he wanted. He didn't want me to talk unless he asked a direct question. He grabbed my hand and I had to stop myself pulling away from me, remembering that everyone in the building was in danger if I didn't go through with it. He was crazy. He was leading me towards the carpark, away from the building.

"Where are we going?" I asked in a soft voice, not wanting to upset him. As I said he didn't like it when I talked.

"You will see. Don't worry we won't be gone long enough for your friends to worry about. It's not something I need to deal with tonight." He replied.

I could only tell what that meant. I wouldn't be able to see them anymore. I didn't say anything I just continued to allow myself to be dragged along. It didn't take long before we reached his car, a car that I could never forget. It was in that moment that I realised he was going to do exactly what I thought he was going to do and there was nothing I could do to stop it. He'd done this countless times before and no amount of begging or fighting was going to change what was about to happen. He unlocked the car and turned to face me. I knew begging wouldn't help but that was going to stop me from trying. I didn’t want this to happen. Not again.

"Ian, please don't do this. Not again. Please." I started to beg.

He simply placed his finger on my lips to quieten me, which it did. I wanted to scream, I knew if I did that someone would hear me. But the fear of not knowing had that screamed locked deep down inside me. I could feel the tears building up in my eyes, threatening to spill over. I held them back, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. He begun the same routine that he had used every time, it never changed. He opened the back doors, laying a blanket across the back seat and gestured for me to lay down. At first I just stood there staring at the back seat, until he yanked on my wrist. It caused pain to break out even more across my body, I had to do this or I wasn't going to be able to walk.

I laid down on the back seat. He pulled my pants off and chucked them on the ground next to the car. He then proceeded to pull his pants down, it was at this point that I closed my eyes and just waited for it to happen, waited for him to rape me. Anyone would think I was weak right now not fighting back but in fact I was doing this to keep the people I cared about safe. It didn’t take him long to start, he knew he only had limited time so he wouldn't drag it out and take his time like he normally does. Something I was incredibly grateful for. I couldn't tell you what was worse when he was slow and gentle lasting longer or when he was fast and rough, it ended quicker but was twice as painful.

Right then it didn’t matter, all I wanted was for him to hurry up and finish so I could get away from him, this place. To get home and into a very hot shower. The dirty feeling filled my whole body. A few minutes later and I felt him pulling my shirt up signalling he was almost done. A few seconds later and he was cumming all over my stomach, I was thankful he never cum inside me. He would leave it there as a reminder of the night. He pulled up his pants and walked toward the boot. Leaving me to stand and pick my pants up I quickly pulled them on. In that moment I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. All of the old feelings were back, and this time I didn't think there was any way I was going to be able to stop them. I was out of the car and pants on in record time despite the pain I was feeling.

I didn’t bother acknowledging him it was better that way instead I started walking back towards the building. I heard the door shut and the sound of a car locking before he was walking next to me. He grabbed my hand, I flinched. I couldn't help it.

"You were a good girl tonight. On your best behaviour just like I taught you. I believe you haven't changed numbers, expect a call in a few days." He said, still holding my hand and looking me over.

I nodded, no words would form. I felt dead.

"Good. I like it when you behave, it makes things much easier. Although you did look so feisty and sexy out there tonight." He told me.

I wanted to vomit. I nodded again, the tears threatening to spill over. We were close enough to the building that he dropped my hand.

"Well until I call you, goodbye my love. I love you." He said, waiting for a response.

"Well I don’t love you." I replied before walking away, quick enough that he couldn't do anything.

The next time I saw him he would make me pay for that comment I was sure of it. I didn't care right now I just had to get away I had to get inside and find one of the boys to take me home. He wasn't meant to be in my life anymore. The bouncer let me walk straight back in, nodding his head this time. I spotted the group at the bar and quickly made my way over. They would ask why I wanted to leave but I would just say later and they would leave it at that not wanting to fight. The moment I get home I would be in the shower and scrubbing as hard as I could to get this sensation away.

Caleb was the first to notice me and smiled however something about my expression made him faulter. He walked over to where I was stopping me before I got to the group. He reached out to touch me but I flinched away, I couldn't handle the thought of anyone else touching me now or ever again.

"I hate to be a pain. I'm sorry for disappearing like that but can you take me home?" I asked, a pleading tone making its way into my voice.

He could see the desperation all over my face there was nothing I could do to stop it. He handed me the keys and told me to go and wait in his car, he was going to tell everyone we were leaving and get Scott to drop him off to. I had no idea what was going on in his head he hadn't said anything to me all night. I quickly exited the building and found Caleb's car, climbing in and locking it.

Caleb's Point of View
Joey had been gone for to twenty minutes, we had searched the entire warehouse none of us could find her. I asked the bouncer if he had seen her, he said she had walked out about twenty minutes ago. I asked if anyone had followed her, he told me some guy had come out no long later. Normally this wouldn't be suspicious but after how she had acted earlier I was concerned. He described the guy to me I knew it was the same one. There was something about him I didn’t like, he was trouble and I was sure Joey knew it. The look in her eyes when he had a hold of her was something between shock and fear. If he scared her then it was bad.

From the moment I first met Joey she was honest about the whole no touching thing, I had my suspicions that something had happened to her, I suspected she had been abused. And it wasn't just me it was all of us. But we could never flat out ask her, it was her story to tell in her own time. As of this moment though I knew I was right, and I knew exactly who did it. I had no proof though and I didn't want to just go about starting a fight with a random guy.

Once I had all the information I made my way back over to the bar where everyone was waiting to pass it on. They were all concerned, well everyone except Scott. He had been quiet all night and I'm not sure how I felt about him. We were just finishing making our plans to search the carpark when I saw her come in. I told them I saw and said I would go over and talk to them, me understanding more then most what this felt like.

I walked over to her and reached out to her but she flinched away. Something had happened. In the space of the twenty minutes that she was gone. She pleaded with me to take her home and I couldn't say no. Her eyes reflected so much at the moment and I had to get her out of here quickly, especially before Jesse saw her. He would flip his shit, she didn't know but he cared about her a lot, I was almost sure he loved her. That's why he hadn't taken the news of Scott so well. She didn't see it but after she told us about him he destroyed the locker room. He had been patiently waiting until the perfect time to show her.

I handed her my keys and told her to go wait in the car, that I'd tell the guys and get Scott. I watched her walk away before heading back over to them.

"Where's she going?" Jesse asked first.

"She's heading to my car. I'm taking her home. Something has happened. I'm not sure what but it's something. She's a mess right now, she needs time." I told them, looking directly at Jesse as I said the last part.

"I want to see her." He replied.

"I don’t think that's a good idea. She's freaked out. She flinched away when I went to touch her. I'll take her home and you too Scott and I'll see if I can get anything out of her." I told them before I started to walk away.

"I’m following you guys." I heard Jesse call out before I heard him getting the keys and gear to John's bike. John wouldn't argue right now.

Scott followed me out and I was glad right now that he was quiet. I knew that my attempts would fall on deaf ears she would bottle it up like she always did. There was only two people who I had a feeling would have any chance to get it out of her one was following behind me but I knew the look in his eyes he was about to destroy her even more, the other way running towards a bike. I had to try though.