Title: Alternate Realities: Chapter Twenty-two, Rescue Me
Rating: PG-13 [language]

Summary: Adam tries to solve all of Kylia's problems. Too bad she wants nothing to do with him.





Standing in the hallway, cell phone held to his ear, Adam paced slightly. Nodding to the lawyer’s words, he glanced at the cracked door as he passed it. Three days into whatever, Kylia still barely left the bed. He wasn’t sure if it was because she was depressed or sick at this point. But he did not think it was in his best interest to force her out of bed, force her to face the whirlwind of media outside. They hadn’t yet zeroed in on her staying with his mother, but they had surrounded her apartment and his house. He really didn’t know how else to protect her from all the shit.

“It might be a good idea to get Kylia out of town until this blows over.”

“What was that?” Adam asked, attention back on the lawyer.

“Get her out of town and away from all of this. From what you’ve told me and all her character witnesses have proclaimed, this is not something she would be used to at all.”

“That’s a good idea. A really good idea.”

“Don’t tell me where you go. I’m sure I’ll find out anyways. But keep it as low key as possible. Good luck.”

Hanging up his iPhone, he headed back to the door. Pushing it open silently Adam made his way over to her bed. Sitting down, his fingers reached up and brushed hair from her eyes. Slowly her reddened gaze turned to him, a vacant stare held in her eyes. Without a thought, Adam leaned down and kissed her gently. Kylia scrunched her nose and rolled away, turning her back to him.

Frowning, Adam reached for her, “Kylia? Baby, I think we should leave town for a few days. Get away from all of this.”

She shrugged her shoulder, pulling it out from under his hand, “Go away.”

“Kylia, I—”

“Go away, Adam. Before you get sucked into it too. Go away.”

With a sigh he got to his feet and retreated. It really wasn’t something he wanted to do, but he had no idea how to break through to Kylia in the moment. Not closing her door any more than he had before, hoping perhaps Aristotle would slip into the room and cheer up his master, Adam went in search of his mother. Unsurprisingly he found her seated on the pale floral couch, Aristotle in her lap. Her eyes rose from the novel she was reading upon Adam’s entrance and she quickly slid the bookmark in place. She watched him as he circled the coffee table and sat a cushion away from her.

“Ma, I want to take Kylia away from all of this. Some place... I don’t know. Some place they won’t find us,” he declared.

“And what does she think about it?”

“She told me to go away before I even go to tell her,” he responded.

“Well where do you want to take her?”

“Cabo?”

Patsy shook her head.

“Aspen?”

She shook her head again.

“Hawaii?”

“That’s much better. Go book it. I’ll talk Kylia into it.”



Had Patsy not twisted her arm, she would not be sitting on the airplane, light scarf wrapped about her head, thick black sunglasses perched on her nose. It could have felt rather movie star-ish, if she hadn’t felt like crap, like anything but a movie star. She really just wanted to curl up in a ball in bed and die. There was no way she was going to recover from this. The entire Orange County thought that she was a child molester.

And that she was dating Adam. That had to be the stupidest move on his part. He should have come out publicly and stated that he did not know her, was not dating her. Then he would have gotten out of this unscathed. But as it was, he was now dating a child molester. Had he gone insane?

A hand reached over the arm rest between her and Adam. Her eyes flicked to his as his fingers enfolded hers. Without even a thought she withdrew her hand, shifting in the seat away from him. As the plane had already taken off, she could not deplane, could not turn back, could not escape. She could handle five or six hours in a plane with him. Then she would escape, run away before he was hurt any more. She would—

“Kylia?” he muttered softly.

She turned slightly towards him, indicating she was looking at him.

Adam’s eyes darted around to see if anyone was looking or paying any attention to the couple before focusing fully on her, “I want you to know right now and I’ll repeat it every day if need be: I do not believe a word that has been said about you. You are a kind and loving person, not at all what you’ve been made out to be. By the time we return home in three weeks, it will all be over and everyone will know what I do about you too. All of this is going to go away, sweetie. I promise you that.”

She shook her head, “The seed has been planted. Everyone will always believe that of me.”

“You want to know something? You are beautiful and intelligent and the most real woman I have ever known. The Jane that Jayden has shoved into public view is not you, not at all. You are so much better than all of that. And I am going to do my damnedest to prove such again,” he proclaimed.

Kylia shrugged, “The damage has been done. You should just leave me now before—”

“No. Stop saying such things. Please. Please.”

She turned away, “You’ll see. You’ll see.”


He had hoped that the plane flight would be enough to change her attitude, her outlook on everything. While she had relaxed some, even removed her sunglasses and scarf finally, Kylia still seemed very much stuck in dark shadows. Hopefully beach walks in sand with the sunsetting would help. And cocktails in barefoot bars. And.... oh the places he wanted to take her, to romance her, to... find her again.

It concerned him some that she did not smile when the fresh lei was strung about her neck. Nor did she speak to him as they transferred to a smaller plane to hop from Honolulu to a Maui. However when he reached for her hand as the small plane flew over the crystalline ocean, Kylia did not pull it away, even lightly squeezed back. It seemed like such a minor thing, but in his mind it was a great leap.

The plane touched down and they were escorted to an awaiting car. Once seated within, Kylia removed her sunglasses again, looking around at their surroundings. He did not want to mention it, but Adam was certain he saw excitement in her eyes. Perhaps taking her away was a far better idea than he thought. He might finally get her back after two weeks of hibernating in her room away from the world.

“Kylia?” he muttered softly.

She turned abruptly to him. Before Adam could utter another syllable she leaned forward and kissed him softly.

“Thank you,” she breathed, “for rescuing me.”