Chapter 20

Willow rescues Pierce and faces her father for the first time.

Chapter Twenty

Remembering the Love

 

            She heard them. Walking closer and closer to her. Limping slightly, Arachne winced as the pain in her legs smarted, the sore muscles complaining loudly. She felt the blood pound in her ears; the fear of being caught throbbed in her heart. Slowly, she climbed up the wall she rested against, unaware she was being watched from a surveillance camera in a far corner of the hall.

            It trained its lenses on her, closing in to sport every detail on her. Arachne took her time climbing, though she wanted so much to scurry up the wall. Finally, she was at a height where she couldn’t possibly be spotted. And in time too for two young men passed by.

            In their arms they held a struggling Pierce.

            “Pierce!” she whispered to herself. She wanted to cry. He was badly bruised, mostly around his face, and scratched some. His one bottom lip sported brown dried blood as if he had been punched.

            Pierce was so focused on trying to get free that he didn’t see her hiding up on the ceiling. Arachne bit her lip in concern. Her heart ached so much.

            “I have to get him out of here!” Arachne told herself quietly.

            Hurrying as much as she could with her sore body, Arachne crawled along the ceiling. She kept a wary eye on the two young men. She waited to see if they turned. They didn’t. They continued walked at a steady rhythm straightforward. They both kept a firm and unwavering grip on Pierce’s arms. She spotted bruises forming around where their fingers pressed into his skin. She winced at the sight and tried hard not to look at them, but it took so much of her concentration to do so.

            Arachne held her breath as one of her legs clumsily banged against one of the gory paintings on the wall. She panted and kept on moving, using all of her willpower and determination not to scream out loud and warn them of her presence. She gritted her teeth as the pain came to a standstill. She rushed to catch up with Pierce’s captors, crawling faster than she had dared to before. They led Pierce into a door on the side of the hallway, which was the only one there.

            Arachne carefully lowered herself off the ceiling with her spider string. She accidentally bumped her foot against the carpeting. She glanced up, waiting to be caught. No one even bothered to check outside at the noise. Leaning against the wall heavily, she dragged herself down to the doorway, which was left wide open. She edged over and dared to peek in despite the high risk of getting caught, and, even possibly, killed.

            All she saw was Pierce tied and gagged to a single chair in the middle of a big room with mirrors at every angle. Pierce was reflected in the mirrors’ glass. There was no sign of the two young men anywhere. Arachne deemed it safe for herself for her instincts weren’t acting up just then. But a heavy sense of foreboding lingered over her animal senses. She knew to be extra cautious when releasing Pierce.

            As Arachne entered the room, limping just a little, small cameras detected her presence, watching her every move. By her feet at the bottom of the doorway, Arachne triggered a laser alarm, which sounded somewhere in the building as soon as she walked in. Pierce lifted his head, sensing her presence. His eyes went wide. He shook his head, motioning for her to do something. She couldn’t comprehend it. Arachne took it as his sign of him to be glad to see her.

            Arachne rushed forward as fast as she could possibly manage and embraced Pierce. She ripped the gag out of his mouth. Pierce gasped for fresh air as Arachne squeezed him into a hug.

            “Pierce! Thank God you’re okay!” she whispered. Tears fell down her cheeks. She pulled away from him and kissed him straight on the cheek, not caring what he thought of her action at the moment. She was just too happy to see him.

            “Willow! You have to get out of here! NOW!” Pierce warned as she untied his bindings. He arose from the chair he was seated in and grabbed her by the wrist.

            “Pierce? What are you talking about?” she asked.

            “Listen to me. Your father…he’s going to try to�"”

            Pierce was interrupted as the mirrors in the room flipped around to reveal men armed with guns and wearing military garb. They surrounded the two in a circle. A man chuckled low from the doorway. A shiver ran down Arachne’s spine as she turned towards the source of the laughter.

            There stood a man of forty with raven hair and ivory skin. And purple-red eyes just like Arachne’s.

            Arachne let out a sound something in-between a gasp and choking. The man smiled at her maniacally. She already knew this man so well despite the plain fact that they had never spoken or met face-to-face. After seeing his haunting, sinister face so many times within her dreams and on the Internet, she recognized her own features herself.

            “Willow,” said Severin, “welcome home.”

            His sinister smile grew even wider as his men raised their guns at Pierce and Arachne.

 

            Pierce wrapped an arm around Willow’s waist and drew her closer to him in case Severin wanted to attack them both. Willow let out a light gasp lined with a choke. He held her all the more tightly.

            Willow’s face rushed through a bombardment of emotions. First, there was awe, second, fear, third, anger, and finally, hate. Her face decided to land on hate and rage.

            “You…”

            Willow sounded like she could barely get the words out.

            “Me,” said Severin. “Surprised? I thought you’d be…after all, we’ve never met. But I assume you’re enjoying the gift I gave to you rather…” He arched an eyebrow. “…spidery.”

            “You…you ruined my life,” Willow finally spat out. “You killed my mother, my best friend…what do you want from me?”

            Every single word she uttered was coated with thick venom. Severin’s sick smile grew wider.

            “Your life,” he said in a low voice. “Or, if you prefer…your boyfriend’s life. I’m sure he’d be willing to protect you. But I don’t think anything…good will come of it. So, my daughter, what will it be? Your life? Or his?”

            “It won’t be anyone’s except yours,” she growled menacingly.

            Willow bounded forward, but was stopped by the click of guns. Pierce grew her back. She struggled, trying to get away from him.

            “I swear…I will kill you, you son of a b***h,” she warned through gritted teeth. “And when I do…oh God, you’ll wish yourself dead it’ll be so painful.”

            Severin smiled at Willow. His action made her try to lunge at him again. Pierce barely kept Willow back.

            “Willow, for God’s sake, control yourself! He’s just trying to get a rise out of you so you’ll do something you’ll regret,” rasped Pierce.

            Willow breathed in and out, expelling her inner demons.

            “You’re right,” she admitted. She looked at Pierce straight in the eye. “I’m not going to him the satisfaction of winning this time. I’ll do anything to protect you, to keep you alive. I swear you’re not going to die.”

            “Willow, I won’t. I’m not ever going to leave your side,” Pierce said. “You know that. I care too much for you.”

            “Are you two lovebirds finished singing to each other?” asked Severin tauntingly. “You’re not going to kill me, I’m afraid, but…I think I’ll play a little game with you. But there’s a catch.”

             “Name your price,” Willow snarled.

            “Ah…I thought so…”

            Severin blinked at her and smiled to himself.

            “Willow…Willow, Willow, Willow…you know you’re so predictable. But I’ll give you what you demanded of me.”

            “What are you getting at, you jerk?” Willow asked with malice. Pierce thought that Willow really wanted to know what he was up to. Pierce felt that Severin was up to something. Something big.

            “Listen up, oh daughter of mine,” Severin said. Willow was listening. “I won’t kill your…boyfriend here if you do what I ask. Nicely.” He put an emphasis on the last word.

            “As I said before, name it.”

            “I’ll let your boyfriend go if, and only if, you swear yourself to me. But to prove yourself worthy, you’re going to have to complete a test. A life-threatening test.”

            “Willow, no!”

            Willow ignored his protest. She stepped forward.

            “I’ll do it,” she said willingly.

            “Willow! No! He’s going to kill you! He’s�"”

            A man behind him grabbed his arm and twisted it until it hurt.

            “AH!”

            “STOP IT! LEAVE HIM ALONE! I’ll do the test, okay? Just…please don’t hurt him. Please!” Willow begged.

            Tears sprouted in her eyes. She appeared both melancholy and enraged at the same time. Like she was pulled between two things and couldn’t decide which to choose.

            Willow kneeled down beside him on the floor.

            “Damn…you, Willow. Ah…damn you and your will…uh…to save everyone. You can’t save…ah…everyone, Will,” Pierce whispered.

            Willow held Pierce’s face in her black gloved hands. Pierce wiped away Willow’s tears.

            “It’s…it’s only you I’m saving, Pierce,” Willow wept. “Only you…and maybe some others. I…I j-just don’t want you to be hurt because of me…”

            “Willow, I can take of myself. You know…uh…that I’m capable of that.”

            Willow smiled sadly at Pierce. Pierce kissed Willow on the cheek. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling.

            “Time for the test to begin, Willow…say good-bye to your boyfriend for now.”

            Pierce was dragged away. Willow opened her eyes to empty arms and darkness. All that shone in the darkness was mirrors and nothing else.

 

            Willow cried silently. How dare he take away Pierce!

            “Willow…gather yourself and stand up. Your test begins here. Let’s see if you’re worthy of my service.”

            For once, Willow obeyed the echoing voice. She gathered herself, rising from the black ground and wiping away the tears on her cheeks and in her eyes. For the first time she really looked around the room.

            Mirrors acted as the walls. The only light that flooded into the room was the mirrors’ dim silvery haunting light. As far as she could see, there was no way in or out of the room. Willow was trapped. Dressed in her Black Widow garb, but no longer acting as the brave Arachne that stood tall, Willow cowered.

            “You’re acting weak, Willow. Weakness isn’t a priority within my service. Stand tall and be strong for once.”

            Willow lifted her head and glared into the nothingness above her.

            “What would you know about being strong? You’re cowering within the darkness as we speak! That’s kind of cowardly, don’t you think?” Willow shouted.

            Her voice echoed eerily all around her.

            “But I have a reason. Lingering in the shadows gives me good cover. It may appear to you as being weak, but here I actually have an advantage.”

            “Are you gonna test me or what?”

            “Patience is a priority, Willow. Learn it, if you can.

            “The test consists of the mirrors you see before you. Look into them and see what is most dear, past and present.”

            And Willow looked. She looked deep into the mirrors. At first, she couldn’t see anything. Then shadows began to come out of nowhere.

            In the mirror materialized the person she had loved the most in her life before she ever met her friends.

            “Mom?” whispered Willow. She touched the mirror gently. Her mother stared out warmly at Willow, smiling.

            Then another figure materialized and it almost choked her. She’d recognize that hair anywhere.

            “Vi?” she choked.

            Viola, too, stared out warmly at Willow, waving a little. Willow touched the two mirrors. She couldn’t reach the two of them. She cried and pounded on the glass.

            “What is this? WHY ARE YOU TORTURING ME? WHAT ILLUSIONS ARE THESE! TELL ME!”

            “This is your test. Out of whom I had killed, whom did you love the most? Your answer will provide me with the answer I’m looking for. Let’s see if you can make it or not.”

            She heard a bitter laugh. Then silence all around her.

            Willow cried. She looked up at the two familiar faces that often haunted her deepest, darkest dreams.

            “WHAT IS THIS? TELL ME, YOU JERK!”

            But silence answered her. Nothing but still and empty silence.

            Willow curled into a ball on the cold black floor.

            “How can I possibly choose? Both of them…I loved them so much. I can’t believe you asked me to choose. God,” she sobbed.

            She sat there for what felt like hours and hours until her clouded mind eventually cleared. She rose her head from her arms.

            Be strong, Willow, a soft, tender voice whispered in her head. You can survive this. You can survive anything. Remember the love. Love will make you stronger. Remember the love…

            And she did. Willow closed her eyes and let memories of the good times fill her darkened eyes. Memories of Lily and Viola danced across her line of vision. Not their deaths, but just images of them both laughing with her. As this happened, her heart warmed and beat stronger and stronger.

            Willow stood, opening her eyes. She looked at the two smiling images of Viola and Lily in the mirrors.

            “I have my answer,” she announced. “I can’t choose between them, but …I can tell you this. I love both of them equally. They’ll never leave my side. Never.”

            Her voice grew stronger and stronger until it was booming away in the silence. The silence shook with the vibrations of her voice. Then the silence was broken by another voice besides hers.

            “Your choice has been made…”

            The mirrors disappeared from in front of her. Willow closed her eyes, remembering the love she had within her always. She didn’t know how she could have forgotten it. She realized that it had always been deep within her heart.

            Willow heard the click of guns around her. She opened her ears. Her animal senses took over. Quick as a cat, she lay flat on the floor. Guns blasted around her, killing the men instead. Severin was in the room, frowning at Willow.

            When the men were all dead, Willow sidekicked Severin to the head, but he flickered and disappeared. He was an illusion too.

            Baffled, Willow wasted no time in grabbing Pierce from the arms of the dead man who had twisted his arm before.

            And they both made their great escape through the dark mansion. Pierce held on tightly to Willow’s arm as she dragged him down the halls. She was filled with a renewed energy. Her legs didn’t hurt anymore; and if they did, she didn’t feel it. She was happy to be free.

            “Hold on tight,” Willow whispered.

            Pierce wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his head in the crook of Willow’s neck. Willow’s heart leapt for a minute. Both Willow and Pierce burst through a window. The glass shattered, raining upon the ground below. The shards glittered like bright ice. The two soared in the open air, feeling weightless. Willow flicked out her wrist and a spider string caught on one of the building’s corners. Willow swung around the building. Soldiers around on the ground beneath them and shouted orders to one another. They shot bullets at the two, but Willow swung herself and Pierce before they were able to even get scathed.

            They finally disappeared into the dark tunnel that led up to the real world. Pierce hung close to Willow, an arm wrapped around her waist. Truthfully, she didn’t mind. Willow and Pierce walked through complete darkness until they saw a bright light ahead. Hand in hand, Pierce and Willow rushed hastily towards it, smiling once they appeared in the bright sunlight. The sun was going down into the horizon. Willow and Pierce winced. They glanced at each other.

            Pierce stroked Willow’s cheek.

            “Do…do you know?” Willow asked

            “I’ve known for a while, Will. And…I don’t care. As long as I have you,” Pierce replied.

            Willow smiled tiredly at him. Pierce drew Willow into a tight hug. She felt the love flow between them. Finally, Willow pulled away from Pierce. His face was so close to her own. She flushed.

            “What did they do to you?” she asked, eyeing the bruises on his face.

            “They…they beat me. But I’m fine, so don’t worry yourself over it. I know how much you love to worry.”

            Willow had to smile at his quip.

            “After all…this…you can still joke?”

            Pierce shrugged.

            “You’d be surprised by the things I can do. I know I’m surprised by the things that you do. You’re amazing as the Black Widow.”

            “Thanks…hey…”

            “What?”

            “I’m…I’m sorry about…this…”

            Pierce tenderly stroked Willow’s cheek.

            “What the heck are you saying, Willow?”

            “You almost died. And it’s because of me.”

            “Willow,” sighed Pierce, “I don’t blame you. Not at all.”

            Hope sparked in Willow.

            “Really?”

            “It’s the truth. It’s not your fault your dad’s a raving lunatic.”

            Willow laughed bitterly to herself.

            “Yeah,” she sighed back. “Hey, look, I need to get home before my folks start worrying. And…Pierce?”

            “Hmm?”

            “I care for you, too,” Willow confessed.

            Pierce smiled at her. He kissed her cheek gently, his lips softly brushing against her skin. It felt so right.

            “I don’t blame you,” he finally said. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

            Willow grinned at him.

            “Okay…see you.”

            “Bye.”

            She departed, swinging away on her spider rope.

            Truthfully, Pierce was very shaken up by the whole experience. But it didn’t deter him at all from loving Willow. She was the same whether or not she was the Black Widow. For him, it was more to love.

            Pierce started on home.

            What an eventful Thanksgiving, he thought to himself.

But he grinned. The love between him and Willow was strong and true. He knew that nothing could break it. Nothing.

Author's Note

Seven more chapters to go, my dear readers.