Author: Kerimack
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Cruel Intentions, I just borrow them.
Rating: R
Summary: Sebastian and Annette devise a devious plan to make Kathryn fall in love with him. But what will happen when Sebastian realizes he isn't acting? Please R&R.
Authors Notes: I'm currently writing this fic and Manchester Prep. I'm not sure which one I'll continue on with next so let me know what you think.
Chapter 1: How It Came To Be
Sebastian Valmont sipped his coffee mechanically as Annette's face disappeared inside the body bag. Standing on the other side of the glass window his mind and body had become numb to the events around him. In the back of his mind it amazed him that he could be so calm as he watched his girl friend, the supposed love of his life get carted down to the morgue. Maybe he didn't really love her after all or maybe he had too much pride to let himself break down and cry like Mr. Hardgrove was doing at that very moment. Or perhaps the answer was a little more complicated than all of that.
After a minute of staring at the empty table where Annette had been official pronounced dead Sebastian turned away and headed down the hospital corridor. He wanted to get out of there but he knew there would be obstacles and he wasn't disappointed. As he passed the waiting room his father and step mother Tiffani immediately sprang up from the plastic chairs they were sitting in. Sebastian wasn't sure how they found out so fast and he didn't care.
In an uncharacteristically comforting gesture his father hugged him while Tiffani gently caressed his hair. Thinking back to this later on Sebastian would laugh at how strange it was. Hell he might have done it now but they would probably think he'd gone crazy. Judging by the look on his step mothers face she probably thought he already had. "You'll get through this son" his father told him trying his best to be comforting. It was almost touching
"Yeah" Sebastian muttered.
"How did it happen?" Tiffani inquired the consummate social light always looking for dirt.
"It was an accident" is all he said. Sebastian glanced up at the clock on the back wall and realizes he was going to be late. "I have to go."
"Wait Sebastian" his father called to him as he stepped in front of his son blocking his way. "Why don't you come back with us. It's been a long day son."
It's been an eternity dad Sebastian wanted to tell him. "It's all right I'll be fine. Take Tiffani home."
"Aren't you coming?"
"Later" he lied. The truth was he had no intention of returning to the town house. Ever. He was done with New York but he couldn't tell his father that. He wouldn't understand after all his sons life had always been so much more complicated than his. Maybe because he made it that way. Giving his father one more hug he mentally said good bye to him before leaving him behind.
On his way out of the hospital he could dimly hear 'silent night' playing on the radio at the nurses station. It was Christmas he suddenly remembered. Strange this was the first time all day he remembered that. Sebastian stepped through the mechanical doors and a burst of cold air hit him. As he buttoned up his duster and looked for a cab a cop suddenly approached him. "Mr. Valmont we need you to sign your statement."
Sebastian nodded and took the pen. "You understand we'd appreciate it if you didn't leave the town for at least a little while."
Handing him back the form he studied the middle aged man a moment wondering if thought he might be responsible for Annette's death. He really didn't care what the police or anyone else thought. He knew the truth. "Whatever" he grumbled "is that all?"
The cop nodded and Sebastian turned away. A moment later he called out "hey merry Christmas."
Sebastian looked back to see if he was seriously wishing him a merry Christmas on the night his girlfriend died. Jesus people were idiots! Rolling his eyes he flagged down a cab and was about to climb in when two well coifed women climbed out. He dimly recognized the first as Tiffani's best friend Angela, another bitchy social light. Upon laying eyes on him she exclaimed "Sebastian! Oh god how are you?"
Now any other time Sebastian would have gone off on a rant at this women he barely knew but he didn't have time. Instead he said "fine, I have to go."
Without waiting for a reply Sebastian hopped in the cab. With the window still open he could hear the ignorant women's loud whispers to her friend. "It's such a tragedy his girlfriend just died, so young! Can you imagine how hard this must be for him what with the death of his sister only last year. That poor family it nearly killed Tiffani when Kathryn died..."
At the sound of his step sisters name Sebastian flinched out of habit. He still couldn't hear the name Kathryn without a shot of pain hitting him. "Where to sir?"
"The airport" he told the oversized cabby.
As the cab sped away Sebastian stared out the window at the falling snow. God he didn't know how he would ever be able to be surrounded by cold weather again and not think of this night. He hoped wherever he was going it was warm. Chuckling to himself it occurred to him he still didn't know where he was going and better yet he didn't care. From this point on he was starting his new life and leaving all the old memories behind.
* * * * * *
One year and several months earlier
"Annette!" Sebastian screamed out as the taxi came barreling towards her. She wasn't knocked unconscience but she was too disoriented from being knocked to the ground, to see it coming.
Without a second thought to his own safety Sebastian performed the only heroic act of his young life thus far. He ran in front of the car and picked up Annette. The two hit the ground and rolled as the cab stopped right before Sebastian's feat.
A moment later Annette got her bearings as she opened her eyes and felt Sebastian's arms wrapped around her. Immediately she turned around to make sure he was indeed ok. "Sebastian" she whispered.
"Are you ok?" He asked somewhat shaky.
She nodded as she slowly got to her feet. The cab driver got out and rushed over to them. "Hey is everyone ok? I didn't see you."
Still in shock Sebastian muttered "yeah we're all fine."
"What are you two doing fighting in the street?" The cabby asked looking between Sebastian and Ronald who was still shaken by what just happened.
The two young men locked eyes as Ronald answered him "nothing, it was a stupid mistake."
"Yeah just be careful next time."
As the cabby drove off Ronald turned his attention to Annette. "I'm sorry I didn't want anyone to get hurt in this. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine" she looked up at Sebastian with a mix of love and awe "thanks to Sebastian."
Ronald nodded "look Valmont I don't know what the deal between you and Kathryn is but do me a favor, keep Cecile and me out of it all right?"
"No problem"
Without another word Ronald turned and headed back across the park while Annette slid her hand into Sebastian's. The two crossed the street and sat down on a bench. Sebastian's whole body ached from the fall he had just taken and from the lack of sleep he had gotten the previous night. Still he was very much aware and grateful for what he had in front of him, his life and Annette.
Noticing the cut from his head Annette leaned over and examined it "you're hurt."
He smiled faintly taking her hand "I'm ok now that you're hear. I love you Annette."
"I know" she smiled "we have some things to talk about."
"We most certainly do."
* * * * * *
And they did talk about everything. The bet, Kathryn, Cecile and all the stupid mistakes he had made since he met her. Although she didn't come out and say it, it was clear she forgave him. They both agreed a fresh start was in order.
After lunch Annette and Sebastian entered the Valmont townhouse hand in hand. Although Sebastian appeared confident he was more than a little on edge because he knew the ice queen was lurking around somewhere just waiting to pounce. They had made it as far as his bedroom when Kathryn slipped out of her room dressed for an afternoon of shopping. "Well if it isn't the conquering hero and his virginal damsel in distress" she greeted them with a malicious grin.
"I thought you would be lurking about" Sebastian said his expression pure ice. "Come to survey the carnage you caused?"
Kathryn snickered "ever the drama queen Valmont. If your definition of carnage is that pathetic scrape on your head you'll forgive me I don't shed any tears. Is that from Ronald or from your rush to play hero?"
Sebastian wasn't surprised in the slightest that she knew about what went down but unable to help himself he asked "how do you know what happened?"
She sighed as if bored "I got the most tedious little phone call from Ronald. Something about a fight and you nearly getting killed trying to save the poster queen for abstinence. I told him to call me back when he had some real news."
At that Annette exploded "you bitch he could have gotten killed!"
Kathryn looked over at her for the first time more amused than startled. "Oh it speaks and just listen to the naughty words that come out of her mouth. Sebastian must be rubbing off on you because I'm guessing they don't teach that kind of language at bible school."
"Who do you think you are?" Annette asked as she charged after Kathryn like she was going to attack her.
Sebastian held her back "don't she would love that."
"Oh you know me so well Sebastian" Kathryn clucked. "And if I were you I would keep her away from me. I would just love to knock miss sanctimonious off her pedestal and onto the ground were she belongs." Looking Annette straight in the eye she finished "with all the rest of the trash."
"Shut up!" Sebastian yelled back at her startling her for the first time that afternoon.
However Kathryn bounced back "or you'll what beat me up? I think you would rather enjoy that. There was a time I might have as well but then you had to go and get all Dawson Leery on me..."
"You know Sebastian told me all about you" Annette told her "but I had no idea."
"And I'm willing to bet you still don't. Tell me Annette how does it feel to love someone knowing it was all based on a lie?"
Like she hoped Annette flinched but answered her a in an icy voice "Sebastian loves me and that's a hell of a lot more than he ever felt for you."
"You know Sebastian if I were you I would find a way to muzzle her. Her mouth might get her in trouble one day."
His eyes locked on hers he told her "it's the truth."
Kathryn said nothing at first she just stared into Sebastian's face for a moment as she had done a thousand times before. Slowly she approached him and then brought her hand up letting it caress his face. In a soft voice with just a hint of malice she told him "you know I could destroy her and properly provoked I just might so don't tempt me. You've already suffered one humiliating defeat Sebastian I would hate to see you have another. The boy I use to know would never have stood for it." Without another word or glance at Annette Kathryn left.
Annette had watched the scene play out in shock. Not necessarily by what Kathryn had said but the way Sebastian reacted to her. When she touched him he didn't pull away or say a word instead he looked at her like he didn't even realize Annette was still in the room. It was like the two of them were in their own little world. A world Annette couldn't begin to understand. Even after Kathryn left Sebastian stood staring after her.
"Sebastian" Annette said quietly.
Before she could say anything further Sebastian charged into his room. Letting out a loud roar of anger he pushed everything off his desk and screamed "fucking bitch!"
"Sebastian!" Annette yelled at him as she turned him around to face her "don't do this! Please don't waste your energy on someone like her."
Looking down into Annette's worried face Sebastian realized he scared her. "God I'm sorry Annette it's just she gets to me every time and I let her."
Annette nodded in understanding "I get it believe me I was ready to take a swing at her myself."
Sebastian sighed "the thing of it is Annette up until a few weeks ago I wasn't any better. I mean I was just like her."
"Yeah but the difference is you changed Sebastian and I seriously doubt you were ever as bad as your step sister."
"Maybe not but I was close. I don't deserve you" he told her kissing her mouth softly.
"Yes you do. I love you more than anything Sebastian."
He smiled as he kissed her once again and tried to push thoughts of Kathryn out of his head but he couldn't. "I have to find a way to stop her" he told Annette as he pulled away from her. "She's not going to stop until she destroys us."
"Let her Sebastian. She can't have that kind of power over us unless we let her."
He took a seat on his bed as he sighed "you don't get it Annette, Kathryn hates the fact that I chose you over her and she's not the type of person to just let things go. I have to find a way to stop her before she does anything."
"Well" Annette said as she joined him on his bed "we could tell your parents what she's been up to. Maybe they could do something."
Sebastian chuckled slightly at Annette's idea "trust me even if they were in the dark about their darling daughter they wouldn't care. Besides Kathryn would just turn it around into being my fault."
"What about your journal, all the awful things you told me about her? We could expose her to the whole world. That would put a stop to her."
"Yes but it would still be my word against hers and if it comes to that she'll win every time."
Annette shrugged helplessly "then what can we do? Just ignore her?"
"No!" He yelled as he stood up suddenly "no way am I going to let her get away with everything she's pulled. I'm going to make her pay no matter what I have to do."
For the second time that afternoon he was frightening her. Cautiously she asked "do you want to stop her from hurting us or do you want to get revenge on her?"
"Both!" He said turning away from her.
"Look Sebastian" she said softly "I understand that she hurt you and you want to get her back but I won't allow you to destroy us in the process, ok?"
Slowly he turned back around "all right I'm sorry for going off. We just need to find a way to get rid of her once and for all."
Annette caressed his cheek "we will don't worry. Kathryn will not get away with what she did to us I promise you."
"Ok"
"I have to get going. I'll call you later." She leaned up and gave him a kiss "why don't you try to get some sleep. I think you could use it."
He nodded and gave her a small smile "whatever you say."
As Annette disappeared so did Sebastian's smile. The truth was sleep was the last thing on his mind because the only thought that consumed him was revenge. He did want Kathryn out of the way so she couldn't hurt what he had going with Annette but most of all he wanted to get her back for all the damage she had caused him.
Walking out onto his balcony he lit a cigarette and considered his options. Although Annette's idea to expose Kathryn sounded promising it wasn't quite enough, it was too easy. He wanted to make her feel the worst kind of pain humanly possible. He wanted her to feel the same way he did when she referred to him as her toy. When she ripped out his heart and laughed at him.
Sebastian smiled coldly as he thought I'm going to destroy her no matter what it takes. It was a thought he would come to regret.
- to be continued (Please Review)