A Stalker vs. A Serial Killer 01 Ch. 01

"And speaking of cops, the patrol officers are so tired of the reports, they are booking him right now for breaking and entering at your apartment."

Rachel jumped up and ran out of the office where they were finger printing Jacob in the corner. "I am NOT pressing charges!" She screamed. "He saved us! He's a hero!"

The cops weren't happy, but they released him. When it was all said and done they offered to drive her home, but instead she walked up to Jacob, holding a sleeping Lily and whispered. "Will...you walk me home?"

"Really?" He asked surprised.

"Yes, just...no more comments about me sleeping with you okay?" Rachel said firmly.

Jacob nodded and blushed. She watched him shake Carl's hand and they left. He walked slowly with his hands in his pockets and she thought back on that charming, funny, handsome under cover officer at the diner. He was still handsome and tall with broad shoulders and his eyes still shined with the same intelligence and humor, but..."Your...trapped in there aren't you? Your still inside somewhere trying to get out."

For a moment he said nothing and then nodded. "I can't think of things to say anymore. When...i get going, like when I saw that man the training kicks in, but times like this...i can think about is your smile."

"My smile?" Rachel asked with a lifted brow. "But I'm not smiling."

"Yes." Jacob looked away and seemed to think hard, his brows furrowed in thought. "...I paid you and as you walked away I told you I would come back the next day, just for you. You smiled."

"You remember that after eight months?" She asked impressed.

"That's all I remember." He admitted. "Your smile. And your laugh. That breakfest."

"Why?" She asked. "I am not complaining...much, but I don't understand."

"Pretty." He said and then seemed to get frustrated and she saw his hands curl into fists. With a trembling hand she reached out and touched his forearm and felt him stiffen.

"Take your time Jacob." She whispered. "I can wait however it takes for you to say it."

Jacob flashed her that beautiful smile he had smiled at her that first day and then looked ahead. After almost three full minutes he breathed, as if steadying himself. "Doctors said it was because I thought about you so much that day. On my way to the lot. At the lot. I thought about the morning. Seeing you again. At the time it was a memory I didn't want to forget, that maybe being in that diner was fate."

"The hammer wiped out everything else. All that is left...is you." He admitted.

"Let me see if I understand this." Rachel said softly. "You really liked me?"

"Yes." Jacob said with a nod.

"And you really wanted to come back to see me the next morning." She continued and he nodded. "So, you kept thinking about it all that morning during your briefing and during your time on the lot?"

"Yes." Jacob said and motioned for her to continue.

"...So after your accident and the surgery...on your brain...your mind kept coming back to those emotions?" She said unsure.

"Yes." He agreed and nodded. "I should have gone to my parents in Florida for recovery. Wouldn't have hurt you. Wouldn't have stalked you."

"And if you had Jacob..." She whispered suddenly realizing it. "...Me and Lily would be dead."

"He needs to be stopped. No one should hurt princess." Jacob said firmly.

Rachel looked confused and then he looked pointedly at Lily and she blushed. No man had ever been interested in Lily. Just Rachel and getting into her panties. "You wouldn't have ever hurt me would you?"

"I don't know." Jacob said honestly. "...I get so mad when you yell at me. Tell me never to see you. It hurts me and I can't tell you it does. I am so flustered by all the things I want to say."

"If I tell you...I want to be friends but nothing more..." She braced herself but added. "But don't tell you to stop talking to me...will you ever hurt me Jacob? Or Lily?"

"Never!" He said sharply, as if insulted. "I...I...children..."

Again she saw the frustration and sighed. His eyes were narrowed on the pavement and his brows were furrowed. She stopped and turned to face him. He was looking down and opening and closing his hands as the rage built. "Jacob calm down."

"No one will want...to talk now. Stupid now." He cried and brought his hand up hit himself in the side of the head.

"Your not stupid!" She shouted and grabbed his hand to stop him from hitting himself again.

She found herself shocked as she defended him. Less then 24 hours ago this man terrified her. "Your just...hurt. Now, look at me"

Jacob continued to stare at the ground and she stepped forward and looked up at his downturned face. "Jacob. Look. At. Me." The force of the order made him look up into her eyes. "Take your time and answer me. I...need to hear this. Will you ever hurt me or Lily? Answer me."

Jacob stared into her eyes and collected his thoughts. Over and over he repeated the words in his mind and then finally answered. "I would rather die then hurt a child. I...would die for Lily...and you...No. I won't hurt you Rachel...i am s...s...s.."

"Calm down Jacob." She whispered and touched his arm again.

"...Sorry I grabbed you." He finished. "I...was scared you would walk away."

"Forgiven." She whispered and the two kept walking. When they reached her apartment she looked up at the police tape, the broken window and all the unknown cars on the street and began to shake. Jacob looked from her to the apartment.

"...You can come home with me." He said suddenly.

"Jacob...we talked about this." She said sternly.

The former officer blushed but shook his head. "...Came out bad. Sometimes I hate myself."

"I don't." Rachel whispered and Lily to their surprise added in a sleepy voice. "I like you Jacob."

Jacob looked into the big blue eyes on the little girl staring at him and his mouth opened and closed trying to speak finally he sighed and looked away. Lily put her head back on her mothers shoulder. Jacob staring at the street was able to finally say. "...I mean. He doesn't know where I live. You and Lily...will be safe there."

"Jacob...i understand better now...but I am not ready to be alone in your house with you." She said in a tone that said she was sorry to have to say it.

Jacob nodded and then fished a set of keys out of his pocket and held them out to her."You stay. I leave."

"What?"She asked not understanding.

"My house. You stay. I leave. I don't have keys if I give them to you." Jacob explained. "I will sleep in a motel."

"You would do that for us?" Rachel asked shocked.

"Yes. You two need to be safe." Jacob answered.

"Show us?" Rachel asked.

Jacob took them to a 2009 Pontiac Grand Prix and waited while Rachel got Lily buckled in. Lily slid into the passenger seat and after Jacob climbed into the drivers seat asked. "...Are you okay to drive?"

"...the audio and visual part of my brain was unaffected." Jacob said stiffly.

"Your still angry about it aren't you?" Rachel whispered as they pulled onto the street.

For a time Jacob just drove, watching the road and the rear view intently and then he whispered so softly she almost didn't hear him. "It was...hard enough to meet a good woman before...i turned stupid. Who would want me now? I'm a freak."

"Your not stupid and your not a freak!" Rachel snarled. "You just have trouble finding the right words...you are just one of those nervous guys now."

"Nervous." Jacob said bitterly. "That's a hell of a word for it."

"I'll...marry you...someday Acob..." Lily said sleepily and then began to snore again.

Rachel saw Jacob smile and look into the rear view. The intensity he had in his eyes when he looked at her was gone when he looked at Lily she noticed. There was nothing in his eyes except genuine affection. "Jacob...will you ever get over me?" She asked softly. "Do the doctors think you'll recover?"

"Doctors say as I heal...i will regain more...control the more my brain heals" He said but he didn't sound sure. "After you are safe, I will go to Florida. I can't bother you from there."

Rachel bit her lip softly and sighed. He sounded so terrified when he said this and she thought she knew why. His only memories were of her, and if she was gone he'd have no one. He'd remember nothing."I am sorry Jacob. It's not your fault. Lily's father told me he loved me and then left me when I was 6 months pregnant."

"Why wait so long? He knew he didn't want you anymore." Jacob asked and then sighed and she saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel in rage. His teeth grit so hard she heard them sqeak.

"Jacob, remember, breath. Slow down." Rachel said softly.

The big former cop nodded and after a moment asked. "...I mean, why did he wait so long? That kind of decision doesn't come suddenly."

"I know what you meant Jacob." Rachel said with a smile. "I understand more then you think now. You don't have to be so guarded. I will tell you if you cross the line." She saw Jacob smile again and found she was smiling, then her smile disappeared and she answered. "He told me why. He waited until the day after I was eligible for a abortion and then left me."

"...Your not serious?" Jacob hissed.

"Oh yes." Rachel said with a shrug. "He found out I liked one of his friends." When she saw the look on his face she laughed. "It was high school Jake."

Jacob's eyes sudden began to glisten and he stared forward blinking through the tears. For a moment she thought she had done something wrong then he whispered. "...do that again." He pleaded.

"What?" She asked, shocked by what she saw when she looked at him. His eyes were not longer misted, but tears were running down his face.

"My name." He whispered. "Just once more please? I know you don't agree with how I feel, but please..."

Rachel found that in that moment she wanted to. For weeks she had totally misjudged this man. All he wanted was someone he could connect with, to feel normal again and she was the only person his brain allowed. "Jake. Will you do something for me?"

"Yes?" He said, without even asking what it was.

"When this is all done..." Rachel took a deep breath and dove in. "Will you go and get coffee with me?"

"No." Jacob shook his head. "I don't want your pity. Coffee with the freak."

"That's enough Ja..."

Rachel began to say something but Jake cut her off as he pulled up in front of a little white house at the end of a one way street. "Were here."

Jake pulled the key ring off the car key and handed it to her. "The backyard has a ten foot wall all the way around the house with razer wire and motion activated lights. There are three bedrooms upstairs and a safe room in the master bedroom." When he saw her shocked look he laughed. "Sorry, I was a under cover police officer Rachel, I wanted to know if my cover was blown, I was safe."

Rachel got Lily out of the back seat and turned to leave, then looked back at Jacob. He was staring forward, but his eyes were downcast. So alone and locked in his own head. She remembered him that first morning. He laughed and told her that it was his duty to come back tomorrow, because he loved to talk. Loved to talk, and now he couldn't talk to anyone. Trapped inside his own mind. "Jacob." She said suddenly. "Will you stay? Please?"

Jake nodded, but as he opened the door Rachel said firmly. "No touching and please don't make me regret this."

"...no touching." He repeated and then whispered something as he walked in front of her to the front door. Something that sounded like "Who would touch me anyway?"

His house was beautiful. The walls were covered with paintings and other pieces of art. There was case filled with guns that didn't have a back panel. The case was locked and each gun was locked to the wall which explained the lack of a back panel. He led them upstairs and she noticed all of the bedrooms were fully furnished and one of them was for a little girl about Lily's age. A sudden dread filled her and she began to walk backwards to the stairs.

"Jacob." She couldn't hide the fear in her voice. "Why do you have a little girls room?"

Jacob read her fear and sighed. She thought he was that far gone. Slowly he reached into his back pocket and she tensed to run, but he pulled out his wallet, opened it and held it out to her. She took it and inside was a picture of him, a blond woman and a little girl about Lily's age. He looked younger, like he was barely out of high school "Who are they?"

"My sister and niece." He whispered. "They lived with me here. This was our parents house. Her husband got shot in the face in Iraq. It took him two days to die. He laid out in the dirt and died slowly."

"Jacob." Rachel warned and he blinked then silently cursed. "Her husband was a soldier and died in Iraq?"

"Yes. Thank you." His tone was genuinely thankful. He hadn't meant to go into such detail and be so disrespectful."There was a car accident two years ago...they died."

"Oh god...i did it again." She cried and actually came forward and hugged him. He was so surprise that she hugged him he locked into place with his hands at his side. His touched was enough however for Lily to shift herself from her mom to Jacob.

Rachel tried to pull Lily away, but Lily cried and held on tighter. "...Please Mommy? That man scared me. Jacob will protect me."

"I don't mind." Jake said softly. Rachel smiled and followed as he took her into his nieces room and laid her in the bed. Lily looked around sleepily, grabbed a teddy bear off the floor and pulled it into bed with her.

Rachel saw Jacob tense at that sight and felt that warning fear start up again. Jacob's hands curled into fists but Lily disarmed it like a master. "...Can I sleep with this Mister Jacob? I promise I won't ruin it and I promise I will give it back in the morning. Please? I'm still scared."

Rachel stared at her daughter in disbelief now. She watched Jacob loosen up and kneel down next to the bed. "Lily...you..." He took a deep breath. Rachel wanted to help him, but she knew he had to do this on his own. "...You promise to be careful? Not act like all other horrible kids?"

Rachel's eyes widened in outrage, but Lily shook her head seriously. "I promise. I won't hurt it. I heard you say...it was your sister's little girls and she's gone now. I promise, I won't hurt it. I will take care of it for her. I promise."

Jacob felt the tears welling up and nodded, choking back tears. "...Then Molly would want you to have it. You could take care of him and not let the other good for nothing kids destroy it like they do everything else."

"Really? I can have it?" Lily cried happily and hugged the big white teddy bear. When Jacob nodded Lily jumped up, gave him a huge hug and kiss and then laid down and snuggled with the bear.

"Come on Rachel. I need to get you into bed." And then froze as soon as he'd said it and his head lowered in shame but she reached up and patted him on the bicep.

"Show me where I will be sleeping." She said.

His sister Caroline's room was dark purple with throw pillows and what looked like hand painted paintings on the walls. Jacob turned and walked down he hallway without a word. She laid down in bed and was immediately asleep.

Jacob went and laid down. He resisted the urge to go and watch her sleep. He couldn't do that anymore and he knew it. Maybe he was getting better. That thought was the last one he had before he went to sleep. Jacob didn't dream that night, he never did. Not anymore

Rachel dreamed that night of Jacob the first time they met again. So charming, intelligent, funny, smooth and she admitted, incredibly cute. Instead of leaving, almost dying and turning into the man who had scared her so badly he pulled her onto the table and began to kiss over her body.

She watched all of this from the other side of the diner with a open mouth. She watched as they kissed passionately. No one in the diner seemed to pay them any attention as bunched her skirt around her waist and pulled her down into his lap.

Her back arched with exquisite pleasure. From outside she watched herself riding him with wild abandon with her hands gripping the backrest of the booth. Just as she heard herself begging him to stay, that he was in danger if he left she sat bolt up in bed.

What might have been, she whispered in her head. She was to scared of him now, at least part of her. She couldn't see a time when she would have do that now. Maybe in another life.

On the other side of town in a little motel room the man with the sweatshirt stood naked in his living room staring at himself in the mirror. None of his models had ever refused him before. None of them had ever gotten away. He felt a rage beginning to build inside him as he thought about it. How dare she turn down his gift. He had chosen her and her daughter specifically for his piece

He had planned to show off a piece of his art tonight and keep moving south, but not anymore. That bitch had insulted him and his art and he wouldn't rest until he showed her how beautiful he could make her. He would take special time with this one, maybe her brat too. Or maybe he would get rid of the brat and then visit her. Spent more time with her. Such beautiful red hair. He wanted to see it around her face. Stare into her lifeless blank eyes.

She would be his masterpiece!

A stalker vs a Serial Killer