Chapter 4

Violet's eyes were still clamped tightly shut. She heard Kevin's grunt as he thrust the blade towards her body. But there were other sounds she heard now too. She heard muffled cries of pain, followed by several sickening thuds in quick succession. She waited to feel the blade slip into her body; waited to feel the cool steel tear her chest apart. Violet expected the pain would be all consuming as the blade would slice through her chest like a hot knife through butter. She held her breath, waiting for the pain to hit her.

The pain didn't arrive.

Violet tentatively opened one eye. The scene before her was not what she expected to find. In fact, she could not believe what she was seeing.

Kevin was no longer standing in front of her, ready to attack. Instead, he was on the ground, entangled with another body. A person with blonde curls, wearing a baggy sweater and ripped jeans, was pummelling the leather jacket clad boy. Kevin tried to fight back, but it was no use. Punch after punch landed on his now swollen and bloodied face.

Violet could still feel Amir's hands gripping her arms, but his grasp had loosened slightly. What was before an agonising pain in her arms had now become a dull ache. She looked back to the bonfire. Her mind took in everything in front of her. She saw the piece of duct tape used to cover Tate's mouth now on the ground, coated with sand and blood. Stephanie was unconscious nearby, lying crumpled on the sand face first. Kyle was crouched next to Chloe, his arms wrapped around her still sobbing body, her head pressed into the crook of his neck. Violet's eye's locked with Kyle's again. She saw sorrow. And regret. He made no move to help Kevin or rouse Stephanie.

The hunting knife lay forgotten yards away.

Her attention returned to the two boys fighting on the sand near her. Calling it fighting was an exaggeration though; Kevin was getting his ass kicked. His body was curled into itself now, much as Tate's had been when Violet had first arrived at the bonfire. Tate was unrelenting though; he continued to deliver blow after crushing blow to Kevin, kicking and punching the boy in the same manner he himself had been beaten. Tate leaned down and grabbed the front of Kevin's shirt, lifting his victim's head out of the sand closer to his own.

"Don't FUCKING touch her again!" Each word spat from Tate's mouth was emphasized with a punch to Kevin's face.

Violet smirked. The cut in her lip cracked painfully with the movement. Her darkness had fully returned. That smirk gradually slipped though as she watched the one-sided fight between Tate and the now defeated Kevin continue pointlessly. She could see no end in sight for Tate's punishment of him. She needed to bring him back to her.

"Tate…"

Her voice broke thought Tate's murderous rage. He stopped mid-punch, dropping his fist lazily to his side. Kevin was forgotten, his unconscious body dumped carelessly on the ground. Tate turned his head, searching for where her voice had originated. When his eyes found hers, Violet felt her heart break again. The pain was the same pain she felt last year when she had ordered him to go away.

Darkness had completely consumed him. His eyes were black as night; cruel. His face was hard, set with an expression of pure rage. Violet had never seen him like this before. There was no light in his eyes. There was no trace of the boy she had loved… still loved.

Violet shuddered uncontrollably as Tate took one step towards her. She could feel Amir shaking behind her, his grasp still strong on her arms. Tate continued to walk forward, closing the gap between Violet and her captor. She unconsciously took a small step back, fearful at what was in front of her. She had never been on the receiving end of Tate's truly dark side. Judging by the look in the blonde boy's black eyes, she was about the experience the horror of Murder Houses' most malicious tenant.

She felt her body slam into Amir's. The boy with the missing jaw didn't budge though. He was frozen with fear.

Tate continued to advance, staring straight ahead. She could see his jaw clenched. His face was caked with dry blood, one eyelid still slightly swollen. His hands were broken and bloodied, each knuckle red raw. The terrifying, dead look in his eyes cut Violet the deepest though. She couldn't see any light in him, despite him beating Kevin to a bloody pulp for 'touching her'.

Her Tate was gone.

He was in front of her now. He didn't look down. He wasn't even trying to meet her eyes. Violet let out a sob as Tate raised his fist, bringing it level with his own face.

His fist whipped past Violet's face, easily missing her. It collided with the boy holding her captive though. She heard the sickening thud as skin connected with skin. She felt Amir's hands drop from her arms, freeing her. She pulled her arms around her torso in a reflex action, trying to rub the pain away from them. She kept her head down. She couldn't look at those murderous black eyes again. Not if they were focused on her as his next victim.

"I said don't fucking touch her."

Violet's head whipped upon hearing those words. Her face collided with the soft wool of the sweater Tate was wearing. His body was pressed against hers tightly as he leaned over her, speaking to Amir. Retching herself away from the familiar feel of Tate's body, so close to her after so long apart, she turned around to face her former captor. Violet needed to see what had happened to the boy who had been restraining her so painfully.

Amir was lying on the ground, his eyes locked with Tate's. His hands were held out in front of him in surrender. He was edging away from Tate and Violet. The boy with the missing jaw wasn't going to fight Tate.

Violet felt Tate's hands lightly resting on her shoulders, slowly spinning her back around to face him again. She let him move her, but she was uncertain of what to expect. She kept her head down, eyes tightly closed. She was unsure of what she might see in those black eyes when she looked into them. She didn't want to drown in his darkness.

Violet felt Tate's fingers reach under her chin, gently lifting her face up from her chest. She whimpered at the gentle touch. It was so familiar. She felt a feather-light touch over her entire face, fingertips caressing her differently to how Kevin had touched her. This touch was hesitant, but filled with affection. She felt the fingers stiffen when they reached the cut on her lip.

"Violet," He breathed her name in wonder, as is testing the sound of it. "Violet…Vi, it's ok. You can open your eyes now," Tate whispered as she felt his hand cup her face gently, his thumb caressing her still throbbing cheek.

She couldn't ignore the plea in his voice.

Violet opened her eyes slowly, unsure of who, what, she would see before her. The first thing she saw was his mouth. It was bruised and covered with dried blood. He was chewing his bottom lip nervously. She could see the small granules of sand stuck to his chin from the duct tape residue. Without thinking, she reached up to brush the offending sand away. Violet was surprised when she felt Tate lean into her hand slightly. She could feel the hesitation in his movement though, as if he wasn't sure that was ok.

Violet's fingers moved further up Tate's face, coming to rest on his sliced cheek. She ran her thumb lightly over long gash, tracing it down, trying to wipe the dried blood away. Rising slightly on the tips of her toes, Violet tried to get a closer look at the damage Kevin had inflicted with his sharp blade. Her face was so close to his now, she could feel his erratic breath against her lips. Violet felt Tate's head dip slightly in her hand, angling his face down towards hers.

Realising the position she was in, how close they had become, Violet dropped down from her toes, returning to her normal height and pulling away from Tate. She removed her hand from his face, letting it fall loosely at her side. She wasn't sure that she should be so familiar with him after all this time. She still hadn't forgiven him for his past sins.

"Vi, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Vi, I couldn't help… shit, I mean, I didn't… please don't…" choked Tate. Violet could hear the tears in his voice. Both of his hands held her face, but he was clutching desperately now.

She realized Tate thought she was going to tell him to go away again.

Violet covered one of Tate's hands with her own, gently squeezing it, trying to give him some small measure of comfort. She may not have forgiven him, but she didn't want the darkness to completely engulf him again. She wouldn't be able to handle it if the Tate she knew was gone forever. She still needed her sweet Tate to exist. Violet tucked her head down to her chest; it was a habit she couldn't shake. She needed a moment to herself, to prepare for what she was going to see when she looked into his eyes. She had always gotten lost in those eyes when she was alive.

Taking several deep breathes, Violet was finally ready to look into Tate's eyes. She was ready to face her darkness. Faintly, she could still feel his hands cupping her face, caressing it with his thumbs. She raised her head, letting her eyes take in the bruises and the cut on his cheek again. She could see the stale tear marks etched down his face. The remnants of dried blood streaked from his forehead, caked down the side of his face. Finally, her gaze came to a stop when her eyes met his.

His black eyes were glassy with unshed tears. Behind the unshed tears, Violet could see the uncertainty and anxiousness Tate was clearly feeling. He never hid his emotions from her. She was sure he didn't know how to hide them anymore. She realised that pulling away from his kiss had wounded him deeply…more deeply than watching Kevin man-handle her. He though she was rejecting him again.

She slowly rose on her toes again, breaching the gap between them. She could see the confusion clearly on Tate's face. He didn't move an inch though. Maybe he couldn't; a deer frozen in the headlights of oncoming traffic. Violet closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Tate's, breathing a sigh of relief when their heads finally touched. She balled her tiny fists in the soft wool of his sweater, using him as an anchor now, but still controlling the distance between them.

For now, this was all she could give him.

"Hey," Violet breathed. She had never been lost for words with him before, but being this close to him after such a long time apart made her nervous. There was so much she needed to say…that she should say. She felt the words she really wanted to say die on her tongue. She wanted to tell him she was his, always had been. She wanted to let him know she should have never sent him away. She wanted to tell him she still loved him. But after everything he had done, all the lives he had shattered, what could she possibly say to him to make it all better? He could never right the wrongs he was responsible for, and she could never forgive him for destroying so many lives.

Violet didn't know if telling him everything was any better than telling him nothing, but she decided to air on the side of caution. She was still unsure if the darkness would overtake him again.

"Violet," Tate's voice was filled with wonder. "Violet…"

"Is that the only thing you can say?" Violet joked, her eyes still closed, her forehead still resting against his gently.

She suddenly felt her body crushed against his in a tight embrace. The action was so quick, so unexpected, that her eyes snapped open instantly. Her forehead was no longer resting against his. Instead, her face was pressed into his shoulder, lost amongst a tangle of blonde curls. She coughed, struggling against the mass of hair that was blocking her mouth and nose. Tate's arms were wrapped, vice-like, around her body. She could feel his head buried against her neck. She could feel his tears seeping into her clothing.

"Vi…Vi, I'm so sorry. I never wanted you to get dragged into this," Tate cried, his tears flowing freely. His arms were still firmly wrapped around her waist. Violet was convinced that Tate didn't intend to let her go again. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop those assholes from hurting you Vi."

"Tate, it's not your fault," Violet choked, struggling for breath. She awkwardly patted his back, trying to calm him down.

"No Vi, if I was stronger I would've been able to save you. God Violet, I never save you! All I want is to protect you, and I can't even do that. Whatever I do it's never enough." Tate's sobbing was becoming desperate. He wasn't talking about Kevin and the dirty knife anymore.

Tate was clutching as Violet painfully now. She could feel the air being squeezed from her lungs slowly. She knew he had no idea of what he was doing to her. He wouldn't hurt her intentionally.

"TATE!" Violet choked his name, beating on his back with her fist. The world was staring to go black around her. For once his embrace, not just his mere presence, was suffocating her.

Tate's vice-like grip loosened from Violet's waist, allowing her to take a step back from her blonde-haired saviour. She felt his arms dropped from her body entirely. Violet took several deep gulps, breathing in the cool night air. She was glad that the contact between herself and Tate was broken. Despite the crushing force of his embrace, she found she missed the familiar sensation of his arms around her. She wasn't ready to think about that familiar sensation again, not yet. It felt too much like home.

"Sorry," Tate mumbled, starring at the ground, his hands shoved into his pockets. He was too ashamed to meet her eyes. Violet had an overwhelming urge to reach out and touch his face; to bring his gaze back to her own. She wrapped her arms around her waist, trying to contain the desire to touch him again.

"Are you cold?" Tate asked her, his voice laced with concern.

Violet took a minute to answer, trying to think how best to explain this to him. "It's not that Tate," she sighed, putting her packet of cigarettes from her pocket and placing one in her mouth. She needed a distraction from the boy standing before her. Anything to keep her hands from reaching out to him.

Violet started searching her pockets for the accompanying lighter. Suddenly, the flame from a lit match was dancing before her eyes. Past the flame, she could see Tate's illuminated face, his black eyes hesitant. Violet leaned down into the small flame, inhaling deeply once her cigarette was lit. She returned her gaze to the ground as she smoked, trying to concentrate on the smoke filling her lungs and not the unstable boy before her.

"I didn't mean to grab you like that Vi. It's just…I thought you'd never speak to me again. God Vi, I'm sorry. I've missed you so…" Tate's voice cut off abruptly.

Violet's head snapped up, her concentration now squarely fixed on the blonde boy before her. She watched in horror as blood started spluttering from Tate's open mouth. He looked at her in confusion, trying to form words.

"Vi, run…" Tate whispered as his body slowly slumped to the ground. Violet could see the handle of the hunting knife lodged in his back, buried to the hilt.

"Sweetheart, you're next."

A/N: I just wanted to thank you all for reading my fic, and to apologise for the delay in getting this latest chapter uploaded. Christmas and life in general has been extremely hectic this last month. I thank you all for your patience, understanding, enthusiasm and kind reviews. Knowing that you're enjoying this is what keeps me inspired. I hope you're still enjoying the journey with me!