FicWad

"For the love of god Arthur will you just stop pulling??" I whined to the small white dog.. He was deliberately pulling and abusing my position of 2nd in command.

Pausing outside the convenience story I pulled out the list from my black slacks and slipped it gently between my teeth, as I was about to tie this son of a bitch up ( what - technically, it's the truth ) he yanked hard and jerked in the direction of his interest.

"Whoa!" The deep voice called out.

"Sorry - I'm so sorry!" I spluttered out as I tried to regain control of the this energetic SHITzu.( Damn the technicalities )

"It's Ok - he's cute, what's his name?" He asked, I looked up at the new fellow, only inches taller than me.

"It's Arthur and he should be the lead in the world dumbest animals!" I said, half joking. It invoked a laugh, well, more of a giggle and I couldn't help but smirk. The shopping list escaped from my fingers and spiralled to the floor, as I reached down to grab it, Arthur snapped it up into his jaw.

"Oh you did not just do that!!" I scowled at him, grabbing his snout firmly and prising his jaws open, he growled at me.

"Arthur!" I said in my firm puppy trained voice. I tried again to prise the, now soggy, paper out of his gnarly teeth..

"Arthur!!" I barked at him. Now who was the bitch?

I stood up and looked at the boy.

"Great! Outwitted by another species...just fantastic!!" I grumbled. He was grinning at me. Why was he grinning at me? If he wasn't so intriguing he wouldn't pull it off.

"Why are you smiling Patrick?" I asked boldly, his eyes opened wide suddenly and he made a squirmy frown with those soft eyebrows.

"Name tag ." I said, putting this sucker out of his misery.

"Right. You don't have a name tag." He said. I had to laugh and I shook my head.

"No I don't." I smiled.

"Is it because you don't have a name?" He asked smartly.

"Cute." I nodded and looked down at the dog now half chucking up the paper and chewing it awkwardly in his teeth, tossing his head around.

"Harry." I said with a smile, he smiled back.

"Awesome name."

"Thank you."

I love how there's this silence after you first introduce yourself to someone and it's not planned. It's like, I know nothing about you but I want you to know everything about me right now, so it can make this moment easier.

"Well, " I said with a sigh. " I guess I should attempt to get the groceries with out the list." I said reluctantly, I looked back down at Arthur who was now looking up at me, licking his chops like he'd just eaten a treat. Pieces of spat out blue shopping list paper on the sidewalk outside the store.

"I think he liked it!" Patrick chirped. I looked at him with a frown.

"Right, that's why he yakked half of it back up - if you look closely you can see that was the part that had the tampons on it...." I said, he really giggled now and I could feel my face literally lighting up as it bubbled out his mouth. I was making someone laugh. How peachy of me.

"Now you stay Dog!" I commanded him, he tilted his head and looked at me.

"Don't look at me like that , I mean it, if you try to escape, I'm going to sell you, and we'll see what Dad has to say about that!" I scowled and he sat down. See, I knew Dogs could understand.


Patrick pushed open the door and held it open for me.

"So kind, thank you!" I gushed. I grabbed a basket and headed for the fresh vegetables. I love this shop, it wasn't too big, I was crap in big places. The anxiety would step in and I'd lose it.

I carefully counted 4 apples, being particularly choosy over them seen as they were for me. I hated bruising, it ruined the experience. I gently picked up some sweet tangerines, peeling one softly, as I slipped a piece in my mouth, I caught him looking at me. I smiled to myself.

I put a finger over my lips and he playfully pulled the zipper action across his lips too.

As I approached the fridge area, I considered carefully what cheese was going with the salads this week and my mouth watered as another piece of tangerine exploded in my mouth.

"Y'know, technically, you're a thief...." He said from close behind me. I looked over my shoulder and laughed gently through my nose. I reached up and held a piece of tangerine before his lips, they opened and I popped it in.

"Technically, you're my partner in crime." I said smugly.

"Damn. You're sly."

"I'm short, I pull it off."

"Do I?"

"No."

"But I'm short"

"Not short enough"

"Oh, is there a requirement?"

"No."

"Right."

"Right."

"I'm confused."

"Well you're short, it happens."

"Wait.."

I was moving to the pasta shelf. I was smiling so much to myself, the insides of my cheeks hurt from trying to stop myself laughing. I reached up and as I made the move onto my toes, a hand reached up and grabbed the bag of Macaroni.

"Smooth move." I said softly.

"I know."

"You like Macaroni cheese?" He asked. I put the basket down and looked at him.

"My favourite dish....especially if the cheese is crispy."

"It's underrated."

"Absolutely, I'd eat it everyday."

"I make great Macaroni cheese." He said proudly. I folded my arms and looked at him carefully.

"You make macaroni cheese?" I asked cynically.

"The best."

"You make your own sauce?"

"Of course!" He smiled, as if I was being stupid.

"What cheese do you use?"

"Irish cheddar."

"Ahh! The best, you've been taught well..." I said with a smile.

The dog barking interrupted our rendezvous by the pasta shelf and I looked towards the door, leaning down slightly so I could see the impatient mutt looking.

I picked up the basket and before I could feel the weight of it, he had taken it off me.

"I got this!" He smiled, wow, he wasn't planning on giving up and I wasn't planning on walking away either. We made our way round the cramped shelves to the dog food and I stared at it.

"I should feed him the cheap stuff for chewing up my list." I grumbled, picking up the most expensive and putting it gently in the basket Patrick was now carrying with both hands before him.

I'd barely known this boy 20 minutes and he had me like a surrendered fish who was more than happy to be served up on a platter with a slice of lemon.

"What kind of card do you need?" He asked as we perused the greeting cards section. I put the card down and turned to him.

"I don't need a card..." I said softly. He was confused, and he was cute when he was confused. I pulled the basket out of his hands and put it on the floor.

"It's the only place in the shop no-one can see us!" I whispered firmly and pulled him into kiss me. The air rushed up my nose as I breathed in hard, our lips touching how soft flesh should and I gripped the back of his neck firmly, deepening this kiss. His hands hesitated to settle on my waist but as I moved my head to kiss the other direction, they pinched at my curves through my T-Shirt. His tongue now fondling mine and his strength slightly dominating me. I felt the back of the card shelf, dig into my thighs and I pushed him back off me slightly, making sure he didn't stop tantalising me this way.

We stared at each other and I pressed my lips together and swallowed.

"Ok!" I said, slightly stimulated more than I wanted to be.

He was silent, shell shocked, flabbergasted , completely stumped.

"That worked...." He said through reddened lips.

"It really worked...." I added.

"You wanna get coffee with me?" He asked breathlessly.

"I do!" I smiled, he smiled celestially. Oh if cherubs were human, they'd worship him.

We approached the counter, I abandoned the essential item of Tampons to minimize the, already induced, embarrassment of molesting him by the Greeting Cards.

There was a peace in the atmosphere as we waited in the 4 long queue and we were in no hurry either. He still had my basket in his hands and he now put it on the floor and shuffled it with his feet.

"What did you come in for?" I frowned.

"Coffee." He smirked, I grinned back and he smiled at me again.

"Amazing." I said, taking in how his lips curled to reveal a showy display of great teeth.

"Stunning." He replied. I started to blush and looked down shyly.



"Nobody move." The low voice commanded. I looked suddenly, my heart tried to run out my chest via my throat and I dropped the breadstick in my hand.

"NOBODY MOVE!!!" He screamed, as people clearly squirmed in their fear. He locked the door and flipped the closed sign.

"All of you down - NOW!" He shouted,

"GET DOWN!!" He reiterated impatiently. I awkwardly fell on to my knees and as I clambered over the breadstick and basket, I felt rough hands push my shoulders.

"I said get down, on the floor now!" He growled in that low menacing tone. I hit the cold floor hard and I stared at Patrick. My breathing was impatient and lacked rhythm as it jerked in and out my body.

"Anybody moves, anybody try to call anyone on their cell - I'll shoot you, is that understood?" He asked.

"Empty the cash." He said calmly to the cashier.

"Patrick!" I gasped, his eyes were as scared as mine. He reached out his hand and squeezed mine tight.

"Don't be scared!" He whispered back to me. I could hardly breathe.

"Empty the cash now - I know there's more!!" He demanded to the cashier.

"That's all I got - they emptied tills and hour ago!" the cashier pleaded, he was so pale with the shock.

"Where's your safe?"

"Behind..." He trailed off, pointing to a door. The masked man looked to where the cashier was pointing.

I bottled and ripped my hand away from Patrick's and tried to crawl away to safer place, other than beneath this mans feet.

He grabbed me and gripped my arm, throwing me down against the shelf.

"You make another move princess, I'll put a bullet right between those pretty eyes of yours!!" He whispered close to my face. I whimpered and stared into his eyes. I nodded obediently and I could see Patrick's wide eyes on me again.

As the masked man got back to what he was doing, Patrick stared at me.

"Why did you do that?" He mimed.

I just stared at him, tears slipping from my eyes.

The man had now stormed into the room at the back and a commotion was heard as he obviously found the owner back there. A gunshot resonated through the store and I screamed in fright and covered my ears, lunging back over to Patrick.

My arms locked around his neck and he gathered me close into his body, I felt safe there.

"I'm so scared!!" I whispered into his ear, gripping my neck and soothed skin gently.

"Don't be scared Harry..." He soothed.

Only moments later, it seemed to escalate into pandemonium as the commotion outside grew.

"This is the Police - you're surrounded!" An amplified nasally voice echoed outside. I gasped again and glanced.

He stormed towards the front of the store with his blue duffel bag and glared out the glass doors.

He started cursing and pacing awkwardly. I'm guessing he didn't think they'd be here so efficiently.

I could feel my heart pumping the blood around my arteries quicker and my veins chasing it back to my heart even faster. My face was buried over Patrick's shoulder where he was sat against the counter, I couldn't dare look.

"Breathe..." he whispered gently to me, carefully not to move.

"I can't." I replied.

"Of course you can....breathe deep....into your tummy..." He whispered so softly, it was barely audible.

I jumped again as he swiped over a stand in his anger.

"Come out with your hands up!!" The voice commanded again.

"Breathe."

He turned and looked down at Patrick and the girl huddled into him. I felt Patrick's hands grab me tighter as the man approached and suddenly I was ripped from his arms.

I cried out and Patrick stood up quickly.

"Sit the f* down!!" He barked at Patrick.

His arm enveloped my throat and he pointed the gun at Patrick.

"Patrick sit down!!" I cried to him and grabbed the mans arms with both my hands.

"Let her go!!" He shouted angrily.

"You shut up! You shut up now!!" He shouted back just as angry.

"Patrick please!" I said, my face contorting with tears and fear. He stared at me hard.

I felt the cold barrel of his pistol against my neck and he pushed me towards the front of the door. Unlocking it and the police officers all backed up as we stepped outside.

Immediately Arthur continued his constant barking, now having more of a mission as he saw the man with his arms around me.

"I'll kill her!!!" He yelled and I bit my bottom lip hard, still clinging to his forearm that pinned me to his body.

"Release the girl and we'll come to an agreement!" The anonymous voice instructed.

"Oh no..." He said shaking his head.

"I want a car now!! A car and 20 minutes!!" He yelled.

"Release the girl, then we'll talk!"

"No can do!" He muttered, and I was starting to excrete nervous energy from my skin. My hands slipping from his strong arm around my shoulders and throat. I could feel my body racking with the sobs and I desperately didn't want him to see my fear this way. He was a coward. If I had a choice, I'd kill him now. Who was he to select whether it was my day to die or not?

He started moving backwards and my feet stumbled as I struggled to keep up with the backwards movements.

"I wanna car - and 20 minutes!!" He confirmed and he dragged me back in slamming the door. He tossed me onto the floor and I crawled quickly towards Patrick but he grabbed me quickly.

"Oh no you don't!" He smirked and grabbed my arm again.

"You get your hands off me!!" I yelled at him and he twisted my arm behind my back quickly, I screamed out in pain and Patrick stood up.

"Stop it!!!" He yelled.

"Get back!! I swear I'll shoot her!!" He said coldly and thrust the gun at my temple.

Patrick backed up against the counter and slid down it, I shook my head slowly.

"Don't..." I said gently to him. His scared eyes were a memory I knew that would emblazon itself forever.

"We have a car!!" A voice came boomed again.

"Now let the hostages go!" It instructed, he pulled me with him as he moved to the window and saw the black SUV pull up.

"I'm debating whether to take you with me or not..." He taunted into my ear. I could only whimper as my lips lost the ability to speak.

"Please let me go!" I whispered.

"You're all they're interested in, not me........there's plenty more mother f*s like me that they can toss in jail..." He said gruffly.

"Please just let me go!" I pleaded. This irritated him more and he pressed the gun harder to my temple and I cried out.

"Just shut up!" He snapped back.

He moved back in to the store and stared at the wide eyed hostages. My eyes fixated on the man who'd walked into my life that afternoon and who in the matter of minutes had bound and gagged my heart like silly putty. I was the luckiest and unluckiest girl in town this afternoon.

Something inside me welled up, a mixture of ready made adrenaline, fear, instinct and indeed, stupidity on my behalf. It crept up legs, into my chest and I watched Patrick's eyes as he saw my left knee raise. I brought my leg down hard and crunched his foot and he yelled out in pain.

As quickly as the laws of physics allowed, I contorted my body around and grabbed the gun from him, it was the most surreal sensation, everything moved slow, everything moved clearly, they way his hands were fighting with mine to get the gun off me.

He was clearly stronger but I was quicker and the wrestle was fairly even as we literally had a growl-off for the deadly weapon.

"Harry!!" Patrick yelled at me. I ignored him, this was more important, stop this selfish coward before he ruined everyone in this store's lives.

I yanked hard, using my whole body weight to thrust backwards, with my hands wrapped around the cold metal and just as the slow motion was about to stop, the deafening sound of the weapon firing made everyone freeze, including Patrick.

Patrick stared at us, I looked up at the masked criminal, not quite believing what I'd done. How could I have been this stupid?? He stepped back awkwardly and his eyes were turning weird.



He looked at me and I looked down at my scarlet red soaked T-Shirt, I started to fall backwards and I heard the horrified cries of several of them as I hit the deck hard, my head bouncing off it hard as I did.

No pain, just fear and now the most beautiful lips in the world crying out my name. I focused on his eyes and how they were so different to anyone's I'd ever seen before. Ok, now I felt the pain and it was spreading over my entire body. It felt like my lungs were giving up on me and that I was drowning on the air.

Patrick was yelling at someone, I couldn't hear, everything was so quiet. Now his hands were on my face and he was saying something to me. I couldn't understand and I could feel the frown in my eyes.

Reaching up, I touched his cheek with my two fingers and blood smeared on his pale soft skin. I slowly closed my eyes, sleep was calling. I'd never felt a tiredness like this in my life.

His fingers pinched my cheeks and hell, I could feel that, I opened my eyes wide as I felt him lifting me off the floor into his arms.

I knew were outside, I could sense the daylight.

"Harry!" I could hear now.

"Harry - stay awake!!" he was crying.

Now there was more people, I was confused, what was happening. I tried to fix on Patrick but he was being blocked out. I just wanted to see him. I only wanted him.

"No - Harry!" Patrick cried, that was last time I heard his voice.

I felt nothing. I ascended nowhere, I descended nowhere. I was conscious of nothing. I wanted nothing, I felt nothing. I was nothing.

Everything hopeful ended with one shot.