Bad, Bad World (Finished, 10/04/05)

[taintedshimmer]

A/N: Knowing how I am at writig and leaving things, I waited till this was more or less finished to post it. With thanks to my Co-Writer and inspiration Katy. They're quite short, but thats just the way they were written.

Part One:

"Bianca!"

Bianca's senses kicked in as the demon shimmered in behind her, so
when the arm came down around her, she was ready. Pushing it back and
over head, her leg was already in motion to kick the crap out of this
guy. At least she had something to take her emotions out on. The guy
went down but Chris was still standing there.

"Go!" She yelled to him. "Go!"

She'd been mistaken. The guy was down but not out and she didn't
expect it when she was knocked off her feet. Pulling the guy down, she
hoped Chris could see she could take care of herself.

Looking back, she could see the portal was gone and so was he. She let
out a breath but a gain, was caught off guard. She needed to turn her
attention to the situation at hand. She focused on the demon guard,
throwing several other kicks and pushes. That was why she didn't
notice when the second guard shimmered in. Nor the third. She did
however feel it, when the crushing grip was forced on her arms. They
knew the book was gone. She knew those guards, alright. HE knew the
book was gone. It was too late, anyway.

Moving to flip kick, a noise stopped her. She must have been
distracted - white orbs were conspicuous as hell. Seeing the person
who was walking toward her, she steeled herself. She was screwed. And
she knew it.

"Bianca," Wyatt drew out her name much longer than it was meant to be.
"What a ...pleasant surprise."

Bianca looked away, refusing to let him see if he got to her or not.
There was always the possibility something like this could have
happened.

Wyatt smiled and she didn't like it, it was too self satisfied. When
he spoke, it was with a fake sweetness that Anne would be proud of.
"What *would* you be doing here?"

'He knows,' ran through her head. 'Don't panic.' She didn't look up,
judt ficussed on a random object to the right of them.

Wyatt took a step a in front of her, slipping a finger underneath her
chin, moving her head to look at him to emphasize the words, "Where.
Is. He?"

Bianca smiled, in a sickly way. In the same sweet voice she replied,
"I have nothing to say to you."

Wyatt sighed, but didn't even seem fazed by it. "Take her."

----

[GThe4thCharmedOneR]

Really good...please continue!

[taintedshimmer]

Bianca didn't recognise where she'd been shimmered. Pushed into a
room, she attempted to shimmer out immediately, but it didn't work.
The room was small, with a light source up above her. She looked
around, finding it remarkably like a prison cell. She sat down on the
blanket and leaned against the wall, looking for surveillance devices.
She could find none, but knew they were there. She brought her knees
up and shut her eyes, wondering that if she tried hard enough, she
could make herself believe it was a nightmare. No such luck.

She wondered about Chris, if he as alright. She was convinced he was -
he wouldn't follow, he wouldn't even know what spell was used. And
even if he did, no one would get close enough. He had the charmed ones
there. He'd be alright.

'Me, on the other hand..." She thought, giving a sigh. She had no idea
how to get out, where she was or what was going to happen next. For
once, she decided to listen to her training: when in situations you
have no control over, rest. She had the feeling she might need it. She
shut her eyes, laying down uncomfortably.

She wasn't sure how much time was passed when she woke up to the
sounds of doors shutting. She blinked a few times, shaking off the
sleeplessness. She was a little stiff and cold and her hair was a
mess. She stood up, going to the door. She took a step back, when she
could hear screaming.

'Thats never a good sign,' She thought, frowning. Then it dawned on
her where she was. The lowest levels of what Chris had branded The
Fortress Of Doom. She had never been down here personally, but knew
when she had to take people alive, they more often than not ended up
down here. This was good, if she knew where she was, she knew how to
leave. She felt a light of optimism. She sat down again and shut her
eyes. But this time, it was with a small smile. She was attempting to
picture it in her head, just do whatever she needed to stop herself
thinking about the fact that she was trapped, lonely and scared. Too
late.She swallowed hard and tried concentrating again.

It felt like a long time, but it was most likely no more than a few
hours, if that, when she heard the lock being turned. She was still
cross legged on the bench and she forced her eyes shut - she was a
strong person from a strong line, after all. She didn't open her eyes
when she heard footsteps close to her.

"Hello, Bianca."

Bianca opened her eyes and forced a smooth smile on to her features.
"Wyatt." She said, almost pleasantly. She could hear the voice
in her head: Never let them see when they get to you.

He shut the door telekinatically, as two of his - bodyguards? -
standing on either sides of the door frame. 'He's showing me he can
use his powers but I can't,' Bianca thought.

"I think it's time we talked."

Bianca smiled pleasantly, "I told you. I have nothing to say."

Wyatt sat down beside her, and put up his finger. "Now, there are two
ways we can have this talk."

Bianca grinned, "Is this where you tell me it's the easy way or the hard way?"

Wyatt took her fingers in his, "You seem to have the general idea."

Bianca grins at him, "Read my lips. I have *nothing to say*." The grin
faded when the grip tightened, and she bit hard on her teeth.

"I'ma patient person, Bianca. You know that." Wyatt told her
increasing the pressure on her hand, "You also know that I can do this
a much worse way. Call it...professional courtesy, hmm?" Bianca bit
down harder, keeping her face neutral. "I'm only going to ask you one
more time. Where. Is. He?"

Bianca bit back a gasp of pain, "My resignations in the mail."

Wyatt sighed at her, "Alright, hard way."

[staceface510]

Nice. Keep going

[taintedshimmer]

Thanks for the feedback.

Part Three

Bianca was tired. No, that was a huge understatement. She was
exhausted. She'd experienced sleep deprivation before, but only in
bouts of around two days. It had been longer than that, at least
three, maybe four days. Her eyes were burning and she felt sick, so
she curled up in the corner of the room, with her head in her knees,
trying to give herself in to the allusion she was resting. She wasn't.

She could hear moving around in the room and looked up. Chris was
sitting on the bed. "I know you're not here," Bianca told him, looking
back to her knees. "You're gone. You left."

The room was silent and she shut her eyes, again. Opening them a few
minutes later, she could still see him. "I need to talk to you, but
you've gone. I was starting to think I couldn't remember you. I guess
I do, as you're here." She lifted herself walking over to the door, "I
could reach out and touch you, if you were real. But you're gone and
you?" She snorted unhappily. "You aren't real."

She leaned her head against the door, and whispered, "I'm lonely." She
let out a sob without tears, "Why aren't you here?" She turned to look
at him. "You don't even love me anymore, do you?" Tears started to
track down her cheeks, and she kicked the door. "You don't feel
anything!" She yelled at him.

Still he was silent. She sniffed, running her hand below her eyes.
"Why can't I feel you?" She sighed, already crying. She doesn't cry in
front of people. But she cries now. She breathes heavily, yelling at
him. "I'm scared and I'm lonely and you won't talk to me."

She looks at him, pleading with her eyes. "Why won't you tell me you
love me?" She whispers. "Why won't you tell me everything'll be okay?"

She shakes her head, "Because you aren't real, are you?" She reaches
out to touch him, but theres nothing there. He's gone. "Please come
back." She asks, no one in particular. But she knows he's gone, he was
never there.

[scifi]

So very cool. Nice handle on the subtle evil in Wyatt -- not a raving maniac. He does seem quite calculating and careful, and torturing Bianca by depriving her of sleep fits with his character so well. It's not a hands-on, dramatic kind of torture, but an effective one, nonetheless. And you always write Bianca so well. Great job with her coolness under pressure when she was first captured, and fantastic job with her hallucinations, fear, and sorrow. You always write her in a very human way, which I think does justice to the character. Please update soon!

scifi

[taintedshimmer]

A/N: Nice to hear from you again, scifi. Well, I get so much of Bianca from just reading the way you wrote over the last six months or so. I've just never thought of Wyatt as raving, more the type to take calculated risks. It gets a little more dramatic, now.


Part 4

Bianca was lying in her bed, safe, warm and with her fiance's arms
around her. She sighed contently, perfectly happy to just lie there.
Everything was quiet and she was comfortable. She turned over, just to
feel him, to reassure herself that everything was fine and her arms
were pulled. He was pulling her arms?

Bianca was brought back to reality with a jerk. Guard demons. She
wasn't at home. Chris was gone. And she was being interrogated. At least it had gotten to the point she was able to sleep again, she could be thankful for that. She hadn't liked it, felt like going slowly mad. But now, she
felt herself pulled back into the chair again, and she lay back again.
She heard the door shut and for once, it was almost instantaneous.
Normally she was kept waiting. Joy.

But there was something wrong with the picture. She couldn't see him
and she began to feel a little threatened. She tried to look around,
but her view was restricted. She could count at least three demons in
the room, upper level most likely, indicated by the markings. And she
was unarmed, tired and tied down. This didn't look good.

She lay back and tried to look determined. She'd done okay, so far.
She'd held her own and hadn't, for the most part, shown it was getting
to her. Because it wasn't. Yeah, right.

Again, there was a prick in her arm and yet more of that stupid truth
serum was pushed in. She didn't look - the sound of it ripping into
her was enough. She clenched her teeth. She was tired. She wanted to
be back in the dream with the warm bed, the loving fiance and where
there was no one to hurt her anymore. The thought would bring her to
tears. She pushed it away.

"Where is he?" She heard. It wasn't Wyatt.

She tried to formulate an answer, "What, I'm not important enough
today?" She forced out.

"How did he get the Book?"

"What, I got a rookie?" Bianca tried again, trying to throw him off.
"How embarrassing." She felt something like flesh on her hands, and
she tried to brace herself.

"What spell was used?"

Bianca snorted, "The alphabet?"

She'd hit a nerve. And then he hurt hers. She felt almost nothing but
a tingle before she caught a look at the blue electricity - or worse,
it was lightening. She didn't think about it much, she was too busy
forcing her mouth and eyes shut - she wouldn't panic. It felt like she
was being electrocuted, and the pain was everywhere, places she didn't
realise could feel pain ached. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't scream.
She was strong.

"Where is he?"

"You're..." She spat out. She'd bitten her tongue and could the taste
the blood in her mouth. "Repetitive."

"How did he get the Book?"

Bianca shook her head. She wouldn't answer. She wouldn't. Not even
when she felt it again, longer this time. She needed an outlet, but
there wasn't one. She felt helpless and it made her sick. She could
feel her body jerking and she couldn't control it. It scared her. No,
it terrified her. She was out of control.

"What spell was used?"

She blocked the question out and it happened again, longer and god, it
hurt and she could feel her eyes blurring. She blinked it back. "Screw
you." She says, feeling the blood run her mouth. She couldn't even
wipe it. It made her feel worse.

"Where is he?"

It got repetitive but she stopped caring. It was taking it out of her.
her pride and her willingness not to show any weakness. It felt like a
lifetime, but what was most likely no more than a hour or so and she
didn't want it anymore. She wanted to tell him to stop. She didn't.
She clenched her teeth. She dug her nails in. She wanted to cry. She
blinked it back. She wouldn't. She wouldn't cry.

But the next time the next time she felt the lightening course through
her body, she screamed.

---

[taintedshimmer]

A/N: Theres only one more sequence left till the end of the torture parts and thats when we get to the full plot. Enjoy.

Bianca could hear the door opening through her pounding headache. She
hadn't slept at all last night and was exhausted. It was so hard to
get comfortable and her arm hurt. That was a lie. Just about
everything hurt, her arm killed. She didn't move when she heard them
into her personal hell space, which she had now nicknamed it. She
needed to think about things like that. She was going mad inside. She
needed to stay with it.

Apparently it didn't matter if she didn't get up, she was just dragged
up. It was all a blur being brought back in, she whispered a soft
"No," barely audibly. She was too tired. It had been too long. She
couldn't take it. Not today.

But it was a different room. It was taking too long to get there. She
flinched, hearing another persons screams. She tried to stop her eyes
burning and opened them wide to wake herself up. The room as
different. She was again pushed into a chair, forcing her her feet
back underneath her in the chair, and had she not physically trained,
she would be in agony. Instead, it was only plain. She had grown
accostomed to that. Her arms were strapped in in front of her and was
pushed back against the back of the chair. Theres something in front
of her, like a square but not, and it's hollow. She can't see the
bottom of it. Possible magical or maybe she was just that far gone.
She didn't know. Nor could she care.

"Go away," She whispered hoarsly. She couldn't see him but she had
grown able to sense when he was there.

She heard him sigh, "I'm upset it's come to this." She can see him
now. He's acting concerned. Bastard. "I'll ask you again. Where is he,
Bianca?"

She's too tired to think up a reply, so she just shrugs as
nonchalantly. Thats when it begins to fill up, the thing in the front
of her. She tries not to get upset.

"It's a simple question." Wyatt tells her, sitting in front of her.

Bianca stays silent, staring at the water. Thats why she didn't see
him nod, and didn't see it coming when her head and shoulders are
forced underneath the water. She panics and breathes in some of the
water, desperate to try and breathe. She can't and her hearts poundin
in her ears. She tries to scream but her mouth won't open. She's too
scared.

After what seemed like forever, she was pulled up and she started to
cough violently. She's not sure if the water on her cheeks is from
being under or her own tears. But it's still so clear when he talks to
her.

"Time, location. Two simple words."

Still coughing and staring, "No." She whispered.

"Again."

She felt being submerged again and went though trying not to panic. It
wasn't working. She didn't want to drown. Anything but that. She
didn't want her lungs to explode. She couldn't relax.

"*Where* is he?" Wyatt demanded, starting to sound a little angry.

"f**k you," She coughed out, and tried to keep calm. It carried on for
roughly half an hour, but time was inconsequential now.

"Whre is he?" Wyatt asks her, now quietly.

Bianca knows it;s tears coming down her cheeks now, as they are warm.
She shakes her head at him, "I can't."

Wyatt keeps his voice soft, "Of course you can."

She shook her head, "No."

"Again," He said, sounding annoyed with it.

"Stop it," She sobbed, scared. "Just stop it."

"Only you can do that," Wyatt tells her, pushing her tears back in an
almost caring gesture. It's a tactic. She knows it, he knows and it
won't work. She flinches.

"I can't." She whispers

"You're doing it to yourself," He tells her quietly. "All i want is
two, little words and you can stop it."

"I can't let you hurt him," She sobs, even her nose and tears are
running freely now. "I can't." her voice is high pitched and breaking,
she barely recognises it.

"Why would I?"

Bianca gives a bark of laughter, which turns into a coughing fit.
"Look at me, you bastard!"

"You're being difficult." He brushes it off.

Bianca feels a slight renewal in her energy at that, "Screw you."

Wyatt sighs, "Again."

She feels the water hit her again, but it's only for a few seconds
before it all goes black.

[taintedshimmer]

Breaking and Falling, but Strong

Bianca lay back on the couch in the apartment, more specifically on Chris as they watched her favourite movie, 'Reservoir Dogs'. She's just content to lie there ad have her hair stroked and just relax.
"Bianca?"

She didn't want to talk today, she didn't feel like it. "Hm?"

"You're quiet."

She nods, shutting her eyes. "Just happy."

"We won't be for long," Chris said to her, his hand resting on her. "With whats going to happen."

Bianca shakes her head. She knows what he's talking about but she doesn't want to hear it. "I don't want to talk about it."

"When I go."

It was out an she still didn't want to think about it. She turned back to the movie, but the screen hadn't moved. She didn't even know what scene it was on. "Not now, baby, please."

"How am I going to get the book?"

"Chris!" She says. "It's been so nice. Why spoil it?"

"What about the museum?"

Bianca sighs. "It's public, isn't it?"

"I mean, who knows when I'll get back."

"You know when." Bianca says. "Don't make me talk about this." She looked back to television, which was still on the screen. In fact, nothing seemed to be moving, except for her. And she felt almost restrained.

"Why the book?" He says "Why risk it?"

Bianca shook her head, staring at him tapping his hands. Chris doesn't tap his hands like that. "For the spell, you know that. We talked about this."

"Then we should talk about it again," Chris tells her. "From the start."

Bianca shook her head, backing off the sofa, "No, you wouldn't."

"Bianca, we're not playing games."

Bianca gets up, but she's struggling. She suddenly feels exhausted, like she hasn't slept in forever. "Somethings wrong."

"This isn't funny," He says. He's still tapping. Chris doesn't do that.

"It's not real, is it?" She says, softly. Theres a desperation in her voice for it to be real, and a patheticness that comes with knowing it's not.

"Stop it," Chris says, but still unmoving. He hasn't moved.

"Theres nothing here," She says, starting to panic and breathe heavy. She tries to energy ball the television, sick of the scene that doesn't exist and nothing happens. "You're not real."

"Bianca," The tone is harsh. He doesn't talk to her like that. Not when she hasn't done anything wrong.

"You're not real!" She screams at him, throwing the stool at him. Her voice wavers slightly, raw anger at the fact she's alone and sadness because she wants to bleieve it's real so badly. "You're not real..." She sobs, as what should have been a nasty hit from a stool causes the image to haze, and she's back in the lower levels, back in the interrogation room and she's still whispering 'You're not real' over and over when she's put back in her cell.

[taintedshimmer]

Bianca was to tired again, too tired for this. She had slept this
time, having not really been bothered for a few days but any sleep was
uncomfortable and full of nightmares of shattering glass. She woke up
stiff and couldn't be bothered to worry, back lying on that
chair again. She let out a sigh and shut her eyes, not really paying
much attention to what was going on around her. She lay her head back
and was vaguely aware of people talking. She wasn't in the mood and
wanted to just go back to sleep, but she didn't feel like that
deprivation potion again. She was...a little afraid of that. She can
admit that, but not by much. She had too much pride. Or too much
stupidity.

She recognised one of the voices - how could she not, after all this
time? To be fair, she didn't know how much time, but it didn't seem
too important right now.

"Not too busy for me today?" Was it day? She opened her eyes and tries
to seem defiant. it doesn't really work but she at least is trying.

"Not today, no." He's behind her and perhaps at one time, she would
have struggled to see. It was the not knowing, the waiting, that made
things worse sometimes. Made people go mad. Well, she'd been mad for
years. Good luck to him, trying that tactic. She tried to laugh but it
came out as more of a cough.

"Getting a cold?" He asks, and something is glistening in his hand.
I'm the leader of all evil and I wear shiny jewelry. Yes, thats
intimidating. "If you will dress like that..."

Bianca shot him the dirtiest look she could manage, "Don't flatter
yourself," She says, but her voice is hoarse. "This isn't for you."

"It's not appropriate." He says, moving closer into view. "It's not
like you haven't before, either." Alright, that was a little cutting,
she thought. Not that it mattered.

He sat down on a chair beside her, at the bottom here her legs were
elevated. Again, she thought of the dentist chair. "So nothing I
haven't seen, really." He laid his hand on her leg, just below her
knee. "Nothing I haven't done.." He say, pushing his finger against
her leg, and she gasped at the feel of cold metal. He pulled it across
her leg, at a slant going downward.

Bianca tried to think of something else, besides the old, sharp feel
of what must have been a knife. What day was it, was the sun shining
outside, what was Chris doing...

She was broken from her reverie by a hard push up over he knee and she
gasped again, trying to breathe through the pain. "Loud as if ever, I
see." He comments, sliding the flat end across her knee. "I'm glad I
have your attention. I asked you a question." He pushed it hard into
the bone above her knee and she shut her eyes, willing away the tears
that were filling them. "Where is he?"

"Screw you," Bianca whispered, very aware of the blood leading down
her legs and staining her boots.

"Too late," He says, pushing it closer to him, on the other leg, right
down the inside. She gripped her teeth hard, "Stop it," She forced
through them.

"Only you can do that," He comments, making a chris-crossing motion
and cutting through the material. "Where is he?"

"Leave me alone!"

He then pushed the knife across one of the previous cuts, causing her
to yelp in pain. "Where. Is. He?"

Bianca spat at him, literally. He pushed her shoulder back and slammed
the knife into her upper arm, twisting it as he spoke. "Do you know
where you are?" He says, fiercely. He pushes it in harder. "Do you?"
Bianca nodded, still breathing through the burning pain. "Do you
understand that no one is going to get you out of this until you talk
to me and I am losing patience with you!" He pulled the knife out,
laying it flat against her throat. "Do you understand that there are
worse things I can do than kill you?" he says, smearing the blood down
her her throat, causing her breath to flinch. He then whispered, "And
you know you can stop it but you won't. So, you're *helpless*."

He pulled back, moving the knife too and sitting back down, continuing
the barrage of questions and cuts but Bianca had shut her eyes. She
wasn't listening, and she tried to pretend she couldn't feel it.

She felt it later, dumped on the floor of her cell where she lent on
her knees and she noticed something. The patterns on her leg now had a
word etched in. 'Helpless'. She traced it, still sore. She felt like
it, now, staring at the blood and half in pain and half numb to it.
She felt helpless. And she kept waiting for things to change, for the
difference to happen so none of it would have happened. She kept
waiting and nothing ever happened. Se kept waiting and she felt
completely helpless to make it happen. It was that thought alone that
caused her to fall into her knees, pushing her forehead against the
blood. What was a Little more? She was covered in it. She already felt
bruised, broken, alone. And it was for those reasons, pain she felt
inside was greater that the bloody mess, she then began to sob.

[taintedshimmer]

Bianca lay down on the bed, but wasn't asleep. She was lying on her
arm and her eyes where closed. She was trying to rest after what had
happened earlier in the day. It was simple enough and the idea had
started several days ago - or was it weeks? She was losing track.
Simply a photo - work id, drivers id, one of those kinds of
things with a red X across the image. She didn't really understand.
Not untill a second photo a while later - 24, 36 hours maybe. A
corpse. He was periodically using up her family.

'He wants you badly, doesn't he?' Bianca thought to herself.

Maybe an hour or two earlier, she had gotten the X photo for Anne, the youngest cousin of her own direct family, somoene she was semi close to. Her sisters had gone before her. There wasn't anything she could do.

She was past crying. She just
kept thinking 'Haven't I paid enough?' She was starting to wonder if
it was all worth it, as she couldn't even see the slightest bit of
light in him now. Then it was all worthless.

"I'm sorry." She knew he wouldn't hear it. Maybe that didn't matter.

She knew she'd made her decision but she didn't want to face it. But
she would have to. Hours before the second photograph, he would talk
to her. Always the same, 'Where is he?'. She would never see the words
the same again. Tonight she was tired. She felt broken inside. It
wasn't a feeling she liked. Tonight she'd had enough. Tonight she'd
answer and she knew it. She had to be careful how.

It was a little longer before the door opened and she sat up, leaning
on her hand. He'd stopped the pleasanties a few interrogations ago. A
few lifetimes ago. "You know the drill here, Bianca and I've all but
lost my patience with you." He said calmly. "One more time. It's a
simple question." He raised his voice slightly, "Where is he?"

Bianca glanced at the two guards, regaining some her composure. She needed it. "Lose tweedledumb and dumber and we'll talk." Wyatt glanced at the two guards and Bianca sighed, "Look
at me! What am I gonna do, breathe on you?"

He sent them away and sat by her, she recoiled her legs away from him.
"I want something from you first."

Wyatt looked at her, "You're hardly in the position to-"

"What are you going to do to him?" She interrupted him.

"I just want him back here, I don't care as long as he doesn't go near
the book again, never crosses me." Wyatt shrugged.

Bianca laughed, the sound was so strange. "I don't believe you. Whats the catch?"

"I want to make sure of it. I want his powers stipped." Wyatt told her.

Bianca accepted that, she'd half expected it. "You leave us alone
after this. Chris, me, my family, you leave us alone. Thats my
condition."

Wyat tutted her, "When have I ever hurt any of them?"

Bianca looked at him, "Are you mentally distrubed or something?! You
killed them."

Wyatt put his hand on her arm, "No, I didn't. You did."

Bianca shook his hand off her, recoiling at the touch. "Don't...touch me."

He looks at her, with a sigh. "You knew the entire time how to stop
it, stop this. You wouldn't. You're fault."

"Promise me you won't hurt him." She says

"I promised that."

Bianca nodded, taking a breath. "Then I'm ready to talk."