"I'm so proud of you Alice."

Antonio said while helping me back into bed. It had been two weeks since the incident and I was starting to get better. I could now walk around the house, so long as Antonio was with me. I honestly wasn't in much pain now, mostly stiff and sore, yet he still insisted that he accompanied me.

"Thanks."

I smiled back at him. I knew that he meant it. However I also knew how guilty he felt for leaving me at my apartment for so long. He blamed him self for what Ryan had done and although I told him that he wasn't to blame, nothing could change his mind.

Antonio had told me that we could move back to my old apartment but I said no. I didn't want to go back there. In fact I refused to even leave this house. I didn't want to go out there because everywhere in this damn town was filled with memories that I wanted to wash away. So I stayed here instead. It was ironic really, Antonio was finally ready to give me some freedom yet I denied it.

"Antonio?"

"Yes Alice?"

I looked him in the eyes, already knowing what I was going to ask him.

"Who's blood was it?"

I had been asking the exact same question every single day since I saw the blood on Edward's shirt. Usually I'd let it go but it was how secretive about it they were that caught my attention.

"Alice-"

"No! I want to know Antonio. I know that you think I'm some weak, pathetic little girl but I can handle it. I need to know Antonio. We need trust in order for this relationship to work and if you don't tell me then I won't be with you."

I already had my suspicions where the blood was from. Ryan. I could only presume that Antonio had tracked him down or something and they'd killed him. And I was glad of it. But in order to put my mind at rest I needed confirmation, then I would finally feel safe.

"Fine."

My head shot up and I eagerly watched Antonio as he came and sat on the edge of the bed.

My heart hammered in my chest from anticipation.

"It's Ryan's."

I let out a shuddering sigh as I released the breathe that I hadn't even realized I was holding. I gulped and nodded my head. I screwed my eyes tightly shut and prayed to God that the answer to my next request would be a yes.

"Is he-"

"Dead?"

I opened my eyes as Antonio cut me off and slowly nodded my head. I needed to know that he was finally gone from my life, for good.

"No, he's not."

I let out a small sob when he told me that. I knew that I was protected by Antonio but would forever be fearful.

"Do you want to see him?"

"He-he's here?"

Antonio wordlessly nodded and stared at my face, analyzing my response. I looked away from his intimidating gaze and instead stared down at my fingers, playing with them instead of focusing on his question.

"He can't hurt you Alice, trust me."

I wasn't sure if I'd regret my answer but the fear inside of me was eating me away. I had to know.

"Yes, I want to see him."

"I'll be there with you the whole time, if you want to leave then just tell me. Okay?"

I nodded and bit my lip. Antonio's arm was wrapped tightly around me, both to support my still recovering body and show off his claim on me.

I couldn't help but shake a bit as I watched Antonio open the door to the basement. I was trying desperately to keep my emotions at bay, not wanting to show Ryan that he had effected me.

Together we climbed down the staircase of the basement. The room was fairly dark, with only the light of one small bulb illuminating it just enough for me to see. It was a dirty room. It had obviously not been cleaned for a while, if ever at all. It was the smell that hit me first. It was awful and made me dread what was to come next.

As soon as we reached the last few steps I saw him. I instantly let out a gasp, loosing my footing and stumbling slightly. However Antonio caught me and instinctively held me closer to him.

"Are you okay."

I nodded without saying anything.

"Do you want to go down?"

I nodded again. I wanted to see him closer. I wanted to show him that I was okay. That I was recovering and safe while he was rotting away down here. For the first time in my whole life I would be the strong one and he would be the weak one.

Upon looking at him closer I could see how much damage had been done to him. He was tied to a chair by all of his limbs. His head was leaning back against the chair. I couldn't even tell if he was conscious but never the less his state was ghastly. His shirt was barely covering his noticeably malnourished body, shredded from what I presumed was extensive whipping. He had several large gashes and cuts all over his body. Every inch of him was covered in bruises. When you looked closer you could even see how his finger nails and toe nails had been pulled off, leaving what looked like some nasty infections. He had clearly been shot in his left leg, blood stains leaking through his trousers. The skin on his cheek even appeared to have been sliced off.

Suddenly the smell became too much for me. It had an awful odor of vomit, waste and blood combined with sweat. It was disgusting. I looked down and instantly felt sick when I saw all of the blood beneath Ryan. I gagged and ran over to the corner of the room where I threw up all over the floor.

I felt Antonio rub my back in circles, holding back my hair.

"Better?"

He questioned me as I stood up, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Yeah....."

I whispered quietly, slightly embarrassed about what I'd just done. Not that it made a large difference to the room's state.

"Do you want to go, we don't have to-"

"No."

I replied sharply, turning back to Antonio.

"I want to stay."

His jaw tightened in frustration but I nodded none the less. I knew that he probably wanted me to go but I was certain that I wanted to stay. I didn't care if that made me fucked up or not.

"This is cute...."

Both of our heads snapped over to Ryan when we heard that voice. He had woken up. Admittedly, he was very weak as his words were barley audible but he was there. Suddenly all of my fear left my body and all I felt was rage. Anger towards the man who had stolen everything from me. But something rose from within me as I stared back at the man who had finally been tied up like the monster he truly was.

"Alice...."

He was clearly struggling to speak but I didn't miss the faint laugh that was hidden within his words.

I ignored him and made my way to him so that I stood before him. I could sense that Antonio was trailing behind me.

"Why are you here?"

I was starting to get anxious again. Seeing Ryan all over again reminded me of the pain and I couldn't help it.

"You with him now?"

He moved his head as much as he could in Antonio's direction.

"Yes."

I spoke my first words to him and I surprised myself with how firm my voice was, I half expected a shaky whisper.

"Doesn't surprise me, you were always a little whore so-"

"Watch it."

Antonio growled through bared teeth, coming forward slightly but still giving me some space.

Ryan rolled his eyes and scoffed, as if he was amused. I was stunned how even in this state he was using his energy to criticize and bully me. But I held all the power here.

"He doesn't love you Alice. You know that. No one ever will. I didn't."

I bit my lip and stared up at the ceiling, doing my best to ignore his words and not let them effect me. I didn't have to listen to this. I blocked out all of his other profanities and turned away, heading towards the door. What did I expect? For him to have ever truly loved me when he was beating me into unconscious? I wonder when I actually fell out of love with him. Maybe I never loved him but was just scared to leave. I knew that all standing here and listening to him would do was wreck my confidence even more, which I certainly didn't need. By staying here I'd be letting him do that to me.

But then all of a sudden one word word stood out to me.

"Weak."

It was something that I'd heard so many times out of his mouth. It was something that he'd constantly call me and I was sick of it. I wasn't weak. I was strong. Strong enough to have survived all the abuse that had been thrown at me, whoever it was from. Strong enough to have left home so young and started a career that I had loved. Strong enough to have found love despite all that the man had done to me. I still had the strength to forgive him and accept what my heart felt. I was never the weak one. Ryan was.

He picked on me and beat me down because deep down he knew how pathetic he was. He used me to make himself feel more powerful. I finally understood why Ryan had been the monster he was. Every hit and kick made him feel like more of a man. It was a way to mask what he truly was.

I stopped in my tracks.

"Your weak and useless Alice, always were and always will be."

I took a deep breathe.

"Give me your gun."

I said to Antonio without making eye contact with either of the men.

"Alice I don't think-"

He began, no doubt trying to reason with me. But my mind was already made up. He would just tell me that I couldn't handle the weight of this but it would weigh me down. It would set me free. Set me free from years of hurt and pain.

"Give. Me. The. Gun."

I sternly stated, placing my hand out to accept the weapon. Antonio eyed me before nodding his head and doing as I'd asked.

The weight of the gun felt foreign and strange in my grasp. I almost liked it. I held the gun, making sure that the safety was turned off, and made my way back in front of Antonio.

He laughed stiffly as I raised the gun in front of his chest.

"You won't do i-"

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Three times.

I shot him three times.

Three bullets, scattered over his stomach.

I smiled at Ryan as his bewildered eyes focused on me. He coughed, blood sputtering out of his mouth as he did. I took a final deep breathe and look at the monster before turning around.

I walked away to the sound of his dying breathes. I didn't know how long three bullet wounds to the stomach would take to kill him from the blood loss but I didn't have any intentions to stay and watch.

He would be alone when he died.