Alvin and the Chipmunks
"My Bad II"

Summary:

It's been four years since Brittany was rescued from the deep, dark clutches of trafficking, and her remaining criminal, Ryan, put behind bars. But when her and her partner Alvin's family mysteriously begin disappearing and continuous notes saying, "Give me my daughter" replacing, they expect the worst; Ryan's back.

Author's Note:

I was a little scared after re-reading the last chapter. I noticed that some people have been thinking that Eleanor has been taken my Ryan, but no, that isn't where I was going with this at all. I didn't want to re-do the first story all over again with the same plot-line. No, this, my friend, is about revenge.

Oh, and on another note, look out for some new stories as well, however I may be writing more about the "Regular Show" in the future.

I fell in love with this show, besides the chipmunks' franchise this is a show that I can actually relate to. If any of you have not heard of Regular Show, which will probably come off as a surprise to me, it's about two 23-year-old best friends, Mordecai (blue jay) and Rigby (racoon) who work as groundskeepers at a park. It's basically a comical, surreal days-of-our-lives show, but way more awesome than that.

Yeah, so I've kind of gone off topic here, sorry. It's like second-nature to me now. Oh, here I am again. Heh, let's get back to work.

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"My Bad II"
CHAPTER FOUR

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[PREVIOUSLY…]

I stood back, overwhelmed with fear. I could hear my heart jamming in my throat. This can't be… it couldn't… It wouldn't… I panted heavily as I fell like a tonne of bricks onto the sofa, trying to process what I've just heard. He's escaped… I rocked back and forth. He's coming to get me… I couldn't breathe. He's going to kill me…

I almost screamed when the phone suddenly began to ring.

This has changed everything…

XXXX

Brittany burst into the bedroom, rudely waking me as she did so. My head shot straight up from the pillow, my eyes still flickering from open to close. "Whaat…" I mumbled, still half asleep. Brittany looked as though she had seen a ghost. As soon as I noticed this, my eyes snapped open. "What-what's wrong?"

"Alvin," her voice was shaky as she approached me. "Eleanor's been rushed to the hospital, she's been attacked."
I sat up, rubbing my ears. "What?"
Brittany grabbed my arm and yanked me up. "No time to explain. Please, take me to her."

I watched as Brittany rushed about the room, frantically gathering toys and clothes. I still wasn't awake enough to process what I had just been told. "Wha… how do you know?" I asked, disorientated.

Brittany stuffed all the items in her arms into a duffel bag before disappearing down the hallway. "Theodore called me," she called to me. "He was on the phone to her when it happened." I could hear the clatter and thump as she tripped over Rhapsody's toys. I then decided to follow her.

I entered the living room. Rhapsody was quietly sitting on the couch in tracksuit pants and a hoodie, and she was holding a pair of her runners. She hadn't learnt how to tie her shoe-laces yet. Brittany hurried into the room, tossing the duffel bag on the recliner before kneeling down in front of Rhapsody. "Here, sweetie." The pink-clad chipette then began to tie up her daughter's shoes.

"Britt, it's what, eight o'clock." I protested, as Brittany placed a pink beanie over Rhapsody's head. "We can't take Rhapsody; she won't sleep until god knows whatever time in the morning. I'll call Toby, he and Julie can look after her."

"No," Brittany snapped. I recoiled a little, she sounded scared. "I want her to come with us."
Rhapsody spoke up quietly, "but mommy, I wanna go see Toby-"
"Not this time, sweetie." Brittany cut her off as gently as she could, but her voice was shaky and uneven. I stepped back as Brittany hurried back into the kitchen, "she can sleep in the car." She said, taking a warm bottle of milk from the microwave and putting it in Rhapsody's diaper bag.

I came up behind her, "why can't she stay with Toby and Julie?" I asked her. Brittany hung her head over the bench, her body trembling. I touched her shoulder gently. "Britt?"

After an age, the pink-clad chipette turned to me, her eyes red. "Please…" she sniffled. "…Can we just go?"

XXXX

The couple hurried out into the cold of the night, closing and locking the door behind them. Brittany hitched Rhapsody up on her hip as she headed down the stairs and across the yard towards their car. Alvin followed in suit, lugging the duffel bag and Rhapsody's diaper bag in his arms. As Brittany opened the door and strapped Rhapsody in, Alvin tossed the bags in the back seat and rushed to the driver's door.

Rhapsody turned to Brittany as she pulled away, her hand on the door-handle. She had noticed her mother's worried look. "What's wrong, mommy?" She asked her, pouting.
The pink-clad chipette glanced at her daughter. "Nothing, honey. Nothing's wrong." She then leaned over Rhapsody's car-seat and handed her a teddy-bear from the diaper bag. "Here, play with this," she said as Rhapsody gingerly took it from her. Brittany managed a weak smile. "Everything is fine. I promise." Closing the door, she then hurried over to the passenger's side as Alvin started the ignition.

As the family started off down the street, a dark, hooded figure emerged from the shadows of the forest across the road. The cold breeze blew the hood against his cheek, as his steely blue eyes followed the car as it almost skidded around the turn and disappeared.

The man's head then turned forward as he silently began across the empty road towards their house.

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(BRITTANY'S POV)

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked as I hurried into the emergency ward with Alvin and Rhapsody in tow. The room was daubed completely white, everything up to the plastic chairs and the tiny toddler play area. The only thing that wasn't white was the freshly mopped cream linoleum floor which felt damp against the soles of my slippers. I didn't like coming here, I never liked coming here. It was cold and unwelcoming, and too clean. I used to be admitted here at least twice a month for when my nightmares became too out of hand and I'd go into shock.

I glanced about the room; Alvin had made himself uncomfortable on one of the seats while he watched Rhapsody fiddle around with the play equipment. There was a man across from him who had his face buried in barf-bag, moaning and groaning as he did so. He was probably in the midst of a hangover. Alvin sat back in his chair, his nose screwed up and his eyebrows furrowing.

"Um, yes," I turned back to the woman behind the desk. My voice was shaky as I spoke. I hitched the diaper bag higher on my shoulder as I continued. "My sister, Eleanor… she came here about an hour… half an hour ago."

The receptionist glanced at her computer screen for a moment, biting her lip, before turning back to me. "What would her last name be?" She asked me.

I was staring down the bright white hall across from me. I could just see the back of Jeanette's mess of hair as her head collapsed against Simon's shoulder. Toby and Julie sat across from them, while Dave and Claire were in the row of seats between them. "S-Seville," I replied. I then noticed Theodore, who was almost wearing a hole in the linoleum with his pacing. I watched him for a moment, watching him hug his arms around himself and frantically chew down on his nails. After an age he finally turned to me, his eyes widening. I could see much more than fear in the expression on his face.

"Ma'am?" I flinched, I hadn't realised the woman behind the desk was still trying to talk to me.
I turned back to her, my face blank. "I'm sorry, what?"
The woman gave me a weak smile and repeated. "You can wait down there for her," she leaned forward and pointed down the hallway, and following her finger my eyes locked with Theodore's again. The others had noticed me by then and we all shared a worried glance. I looked back over at the woman as she continued. "The nurse will come and talk to you in a moment."

Jeanette yanked me into her arms as soon as I stepped into the waiting room. "Brit…" Her voice was shaky and sounded as though she had been crying. The diaper bag slipped from my hand as I embraced her tightly in return. The purple-clad chipette buried her head against my shoulder. "I'm so worried," she sobbed as we pulled away. Her eyes and nose were red raw and tears dripped from her chin. Now with tears suddenly stinging my eyes I pulled my sister into another hug.

I watched as Alvin held Theodore with a confused Rhapsody at his hip. The green-clad chipmunk was in a much worse state than anyone else here; his eyes were blood-shot and he was stiff and unresponsive. He could barely put his arms around Alvin. The red-clad chipmunk looked his brother in the eye, "are you okay?"
Theodore scoffed ruefully, turning his head away from Alvin. His mouth was moving but he stumbled over the words. "I… don't… I hope…" Alvin moved his head so he was facing him. "…I hope…"

By then Rhapsody had wriggled out of Alvin's arms and was huddled between Toby and Julie. I looked up at Julie and Julie looked at Toby, and then they both looked up at me. I pursed by lips, Rhapsody had no idea what was going on by the disordered expression on her face. She really shouldn't know what's going on… should she? I finally turned to Dave and Claire; they were sitting down across from Toby and Julie. Dave was facing the ground with his head in his hands, while Claire sat up stroking his back. She looked up at me but was silent.

I glanced over at Theodore; he was already looking at me. I bit my lip, "have you heard anything else from them?" I asked quietly.
"Not yet," Simon was looking over at Theodore also. He had gotten up off of his seat to join Jeanette. I only just noticed him there holding his counterpart's hand. "Jeanette and I only know of what Theodore already told us."

The blue-clad chipmunk then turned to me, "What did he tell you?"
"That she was attacked." I replied, and at that moment Theodore recoiled, his eyes squeezed shut. My stomach turned, "I'm sorry, Teddy…"

Jeanette blinked away more tears as she hung her head. "Ellie…" The purple-clad chipette sniffled, Simon held her close to him. Theodore collapsed into a chair. I then turned to Alvin, who was looking at me. My lower lip quivered and my palms were moist with sweat. I squeezed my eyes shut as an icy shiver crawled down my spine. All I could see now was the vicious expression on Ryan's face as he appeared on the television, and I saw him. I haven't told Alvin about it yet, I thought about it as I opened my eyes and turned to him again. He had his hands wrapped around mine.

I held my breath, "… Alvin?"
The red-clad chipmunk looked at me. "Yeah?" He saw the expression on my face and his eyes widened. "Brit, what's wrong?"

Everyone had turned to me then. My voice became shaky, "…On the news today…" I choked. "…I saw…"

"Are you the Seville family?" I flinched, as a nurse suddenly appeared before us. She had her arms wrapped around a note-board and she was wearing a hair net. I searched the expression on her face for some sort of hope, a glimmer in her eye or something that was going to tell us that Eleanor was going to be okay. But I saw nothing… nothing.

Theodore almost jumped out of his seat, "Yes?" He looked relived, shocked and frightened all at the same time.

The nurse bit her lip, she seemed as though she really didn't want to be here. Finally she found her voice as her grip tightened around her note-board. "Before we dive straight into the situation I would just like to ask a few questions…" The young woman paused as she pointed to the seat across from where Theodore was standing. "…May I?"

Theodore shook his head immediately, "No, n-not at all." The green-clad chipmunk fell back into his seat again.

The nurse gingerly took her seat, before turning to us. "Would you like to sit down too?" My eyes widened as I glanced over at Alvin. This really isn't good news at all, not one little bit.

I then turned to Rhapsody who was crushing the teddy-bear between her neck and palm. I could tell that she was confused and frightened by the way her eyes darted back and forth. I went to take her into my arms but then Julie jumped up.

"It's alright, Brittany. I got her." She gave me a comforting smile before holding her hands out to Rhapsody. "Come here, sweetie." Julie spoke gently as she pulled the toddler into her arms. "Let's go and play somewhere else, and let mommy and daddy have their big people talk." She then took the diaper bag from Alvin, before handing it to Toby who began to follow her into a quieter corner of the room.

Mine and Alvin's eyes followed them down, before we took our seats, followed by Simon and Jeanette. Jeanette blew her nose into another tissue as the nurse continued. "I would just like to ask… who was the man who called us in regards to Eleanor?"

"That was me," Theodore replied quickly yet again. The green-clad chipmunk leaned forward. "Is she alright?"

"When do we get to see her?" Jeanette asked, she sounded just as desperate to see her sister.

"Hold on, hold on…" The nurse's voice was shaky. "I still have a few more questions to ask, if that's alright." Theodore sat back in his seat, folding his arms.

The nurse then turned to Theodore. "Were you there with her at the time of the incident?"
Theodore frowned, "no," he replied. "I was on the phone to her, I heard this great big crack on the other line and then after that the phone cut out. I didn't know what else to do…"

The nurse nodded, before staring down at the notes on her note-board. She looked back up at him. "You told us that she had difficulty finding her car, is that correct?"
"Yeah, it is." Theodore answered. I looked over at him; the green-clad chipmunk looked like he was trying to stare her down, look deep into her very soul.

Suddenly Dave piped up, "W-why do you need to know all this?" He sounded frustrated. Theodore nodded in agreement.

The nurse struggled to keep her voice from shaking. "Because it is important that we have all this on Eleanor's file so-"
But Theodore cut her off, "on Eleanor's file?" He snapped. "We're sitting here itching to see how she is and you want to edit her file?"
Alvin pushed him back into his seat and glared at him, "What the hell are you doing?"

The nurse flinched a little, "I-I'm sorry, sir, I really am… but unfortunately this procedure is mandatory before we even begin suggesting seeing the patient."
Theodore held his breath as he tried to calm down. Alvin continued to hold him there, "do you want her to call security?" Theodore shot his brother a look, before finally sitting back into his chair. Alvin returned the glare before pulling his arm away.

"Look," Simon began, looking over at the nurse. "I know that this process is obligatory, but, we have been sitting here for some time now worrying over Eleanor. We have parents, extremely close friends and siblings here, not to mention the other half of this young woman who just really would like to know what it is that happened tonight, so please… if it isn't too much to ask, which I hope isn't, tell us what's wrong with her."

The nurse paused for a moment, biting her lip. She looked over at Simon, before what felt like a lifetime resting her note-board on her lap and nodding. "Okay…"

I could hear Theodore as he breathed a sigh of relief.

The nurse pulled her hair net from her hair and sighed. "…Eleanor was lucky to get here when she did." She began quietly. "She was attacked; but I'm sure that you all know that by now. She suffered a blow to her head in which rendered her unconscious… She has severe head trauma to the right side, a broken eye-socket, a broken nose and a broken jaw…"

My eyes widened, and all of a sudden I began to feel sick. Was she jumped, was she mugged? Was she chased down into an alleyway and beaten by what, two, three people? The cold chill had now become unable to bear as it spread throughout my whole body. I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry for my sister, but I'm all cried out. I can't cry anymore, I can't really feel much else anymore except resentment.

Jeanette was in a state of horror, "Oh my god…" Simon held her closer to him. I almost jumped out of my skin as Alvin's grip around my hand grew tighter. I met his eyes as I turned to him, I watched as Theodore's face turned white, and Dave once again burying his head into his hands as the nurse continued.

"…Eleanor had also suffered internal bleeding and we are currently operating on reducing the swelling to her brain…"

The conversation plunged into silence as the nurse's lips pursed, and her eyes had darted someplace else. After what felt like an age I managed to find my voice, but only barely. "… It… It's that bad…?"

The nurse bit down on her lip, "… Yes…"

I sat back, shaking. Now all I could think about was the argument Eleanor and I had the other day, the shocked and indignant look on her face as I spat at her. My grip tightened around Alvin's hand as I squeezed my eyes shut, listening in as everybody struggled to hold back their tears.

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Kick… Kick… KICK, the front door snapped off its hinges, sending a cloud of wood-shavings in all directions as it plummeted down onto the floorboards below. Ryan readied his handgun as he entered the house, moving through the cloud of dust that was the wood shavings. After a moment Ryan lowered his firearm, stepping over the shattered door and removing his hood, illuminating his sharp blue eyes and dirty blonde hair to the kitchen light in front of him.

Ryan clenched his free fist, revealing a set of bloodied knuckle-dusters as he strode closer to the light.

~FLASHBACK~

The green-clad chipette barely had enough time to scream, as a large clenched fist came down on her heavily, sending her body slamming against the car behind her and collapsing onto the ground with a sickening thud, the phone tumbling from her limp hand as she did so. There was a moment of Theodore's voice screaming through from the other line, before the phone was crushed between the pavement and the sole of a blunt-stone shoe.

~FLASHBACK ENDED~

Tossing his firearm onto the bench beside him, Ryan groped for the square—ish lump in his back pocket and yanked it out – it was a box of matches, dropping down onto the bench along with his gun. He then pulled out a carton of extra-virgin olive oil from the cupboard beside the stove.

~FLASHBACK~

Kneeling down, Ryan yanked the barely conscious Eleanor towards him. Red trickled from the bloodied gash where he had struck her; the weight of the blow had cut close to her eye and pushed the socket far out of place. Despite the wound, tears were gushing from the inflated pulp that was her right eye.

Ryan clenched his fist again as he pulled back, the steel on his knuckle-dusters glittering against the moonlight, before bringing down another powerful blow to the green-clad chipette's face.

~FLASHBACK ENDED~

Kicking down yet another door, Ryan entered Brittany and Alvin's room. He squinted, allowing his eyes to adjust to the blackness. He carried the carton of oil and the matches were in his back pocket. He raised his head, inhaling all the sights and smells of the bedroom.

It was a large room, a Queen-sized bed lay un-made against the wall to his right, and a dressing-table and acoustic guitar stood in the corner on his left. Ryan paced about the room, tracing his fingers over the bed-sheets in which Brittany had laid under and the sweet smell of strawberry lingering on her pillow. The familiar scent had filled Ryan's nose and his eyes were immediately lit.

Despite the four years in prison, Ryan was still infatuated with her; he could still remember what she smelt like. He could remember every detail of his time with her, what she felt like inside, how good she made him feel. The distance had made desperate, desperate for more. But then she was ripped from his grasp, by a man he once called friend… and she stayed with him.

Ryan's eyes moved from the bed to the bed-side table, where they locked on a small framed photo sitting beside the lamp. Ryan pulled the photo towards him to get a better look, his teeth gritted at what he saw. A family photo, he could see Brittany and… Alvin, together… and… who's that? There was his daughter, smiling up at Alvin like, like… Ryan gripped the frame until it splintered, before hurling it across the room.

With a loud grunt he grabbed the carton of oil and in a rage began to douse the bed-sheets. Tossing the carton aside Ryan then yanked up Alvin's guitar and shattered it against the dressing table, before drenching that too with oil.

He then flung what was left of the guitar into the wall, before kicking the dressing table onto its side.

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(Brittany's POV)

I peered up at the clock on the wall; it was closing in towards ten o'clock, Rhapsody should have been in bed by now. Looking over my shoulder I spotted Toby and Julie sitting in the corner of the room, with Rhapsody snuggled up between them wrapped in a blanket. I cracked a smile; she looks so peaceful when she sleeps. But the contentment was only momentary for then I remembered why we were here.

The nurse had left the room a while ago, silent, her head low. I could tell that she resented who gave her the order to give out the bad news, anybody would.

Sitting forward, I pushed my fringe out of my face. My head hurt from all the anxiety and the overthinking and the depression, and more importantly, the guilt. My throat began to tighten as I thought about my argument with Eleanor the day before, how I kicked her down and didn't even bother to help her back up. I'm sorry I just couldn't help it… she dug so far into my personal predicaments that I felt vulnerable and exposed, and I guess I just snapped. I wish I could have told her I was sorry before this happened to her.

I squeezed my eyes shut, promising myself not to cry.

XXXX

Scraping the end the match against the dressing table, it lit up. Ryan watched as his fingers let the match fall and within an instant the tiny flame came alive on the bed-sheets, sending burning embers everywhere. Sparks leached into Ryan's hoodie as he hurled the carton of oil into the kitchen and pushed over the coffee table, before knocking a picture from the wall and smashing it over his knee. Ryan tossed the shattered family portrait into the flames which had now spread into the living room.

XXXX

I felt Alvin's hand as he curled it around mine, and I looked up at him. I had tears welled up in my eyes now, my head throbbed and my heart ached. I couldn't handle the suspense anymore; I wanted to see my sister. I wanted to know that she was okay. I wanted her to know how badly I've felt about hurting her the way I did. I wanted her to know that I was sorry.

Alvin squeezed my hand and gave me the most sincere of faces. "She's going to be okay, Brit." But I just stared at him, because I know for a fact that she won't be. I know she won't. She's never ever been admitted to the hospital before, never ever, ever never. Eleanor's strong, fit and healthy, if you hit her it'll only do you damage. So the reason as to why she's not just in the hospital but under the knife must be so severe it's not funny. Wait, it's not funny anyway.

I gripped Alvin's hand tighter as the nurse once again began to approach us.

XXXX

Ryan burst through the opening of the house and onto the front porch, clamping his hoodie around his mouth as he did so. He could hear the wheezing and spluttering of the fire alarm as it melted off of the ceiling, and the heat of the flames on the back of his neck. Ryan stopped at the stairs and slanted against the railing, struggling to find oxygen through the smoke.

He knew that he had to make his escape before the fire reached the stove and the gas bottles outside, otherwise he will be blown into a smoking pile of nothing.

XXXX

"She's ready for you now," the nurse said. She still looked grim, that wasn't good. I glanced over at Alvin, and then over to Jeanette. The purple-clad chipette still had tears in her eyes.

Eager to see Eleanor, we all stood in unison and began to follow the nurse towards the corridor.

XXXX

Ryan stumbled as he went to regain his footing, before taking off down the footpath and through the front gate. Moments later an ear-piercing explosion was heard, and Ryan threw himself behind the hedge as flames burst through the front door and windows, sending shards of glass and wood chips in all directions.

Startled by an eruption of sirens, Ryan jumped to his feet and sprinted across the road, disappearing into the brush as a fire engine skidded around the corner.

XXXX

I took Alvin's hand again as we walked down the corridor. The journey felt endless and a sick feeling suddenly hit me in my stomach. I chewed down on my lip; I really do hope that she's okay…

I held my breath as the nurse came to a stop and turned to us. She could barely look at us. She paused for a moment before gesturing towards an opened door to her right. "Eleanor is resting in here." She spoke quietly.

Theodore was the first to react, pushing past Simon and Jeanette. The green-clad chipmunk hurried towards the door, and the nurse backed away. I let go of Alvin's hand and began to follow him. "Excuse me, sorry." I squeezed past Dave and Julie and then Simon and Jeanette.

Theodore had his head through the door when I reached him, he was frozen stiff. I touched his shoulder, "Theodore?" He didn't react; instead he disappeared into the ward. I went to follow him again, before immediately coming to a stop at the door.

My eyes were wide, my jaw was agape. I couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe. "Oh my god…" There in the bed where Theodore kneeled, he clutched the hand of a tiny blonde-haired chipette, my little sister whom I couldn't even recognise. Her face was blown up to the point where her eyes were barely visible, with cuts and bruises and stitches everywhere. She was hooked up to a drip, with tubes and cords covering every inch of her body and face. Half of her head had been shaven. Her heart monitor was slow and hardly audible. I staggered back, this is bad…

Suddenly Jeanette shoved past me, causing me to almost lose my footing. An ear-piercing scream was heard as the purple-clad chipette lurched back, shaking with fear. Simon lunged for her, holding her upright as she shook vigorously.

"Ellie, Ellie, please no…" Tears were rushing from Theodore as he held his counterpart. "You can't be here, you just can't…" The green-clad chipmunk sobbed as the rest of the family went to look at her.

"Oh my god…" Claire gasped as Simon ushered Jeanette back into the waiting room.
Dave's eyes were wide, "Ellie…"
Finally Alvin came in. "Oh shit…"

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Sorry guys that this took so long, I had writer's block plus work and school and all this other stuff going on. But I really hope this has made up for the suspense, it scared me as I wrote it.

Thank you for waiting, guys.

I promise that the next chapter will come shortly.

~ Hannah ~