After the assault was over and Baby had dutifully called the police and filed a report, she lay in bed, frightened and unable to sleep. She did not, however, remain like this for long. She was deeply terrified by her experience, more so then she would ever admit to those around her, but she was determined not to let her assailant continue to intrude in her life. She forced him out of her thoughts, silenced the sound of his voice which ran continuously through her head. When news of her attack spread to her friends they quickly came to her aide, alternating spending the night in her apartment or just sitting with her at night. Soon, they decided that she needed to get out and face the world again so they planned a night full of drinking, smoking, and college adventures. Overcome by the overwhelming intensity of her emotions for a man she had never truly met, Baby ended up getting quickly carried away, along with most of her friends. They decided to walk home from the bar when it closed at three, but quickly become disoriented and ended up in a part of the city they had never seen before, it was ill-lite and empty and instantly gave all members of the group an uneasy feeling. This was the kind of neighborhood your mom always reminded you to lock your car doors when you drive through. They decided it would be best if they took a taxi, only four of the six of them could fit in the cab at one time, however, so Baby and her friend where left standing on the street corner, waiting for the taxi to return.
"Dude, I have to pee like a race horse!" her friend exclaimed (we are not sure which friend or what they looked like, Papi was to focused on Baby to notice) and quickly trotted off in the direction of some bushes.
Baby was very glad when the taxi pulled up seconds later and regained a sense of safety when she stepped inside. Just as she climbed in, she heard commotion from directly behind her. She heard a mans voice and instantly thought back to her attack in the shower, but she quickly realized that there were two men -- one of whom was brandishing a small gun - and they weren't after her, they were after the taxi drivers money. Still terrified, but somehow certain that neither of the men where her intruder, she watched the situation escalate quickly before her eyes. The driver yelled at men and claimed to have already called the cops, one of the men yelled at the driver to "give me the fucking money" but instead the driver shifted gears and started to speed away. As he did, the second man began firing his gun. Everything in the next instances seemed to happen at once; the gunmen being pulled down from behind, the cease in the gunfire, strange hard thudding noises like a metal pipe hitting ground, and her realization that the driver had been shot and that the car had stopped. She looked around to see the driver unconscious but still breathing.
It was him, the man from her apartment, she could somehow sense his presence and it petrified her. She felt him approach the car and wait patiently for her to unlock her door. She sat there stubbornly for a moment before reaching over and slowly pulling the switch to open. He extended his hand to her and she stepped out of the car. Silently, carefully he examined her body for any sign of injury. She followed his wordless order, turning and moving so that he could see every part of her. Finally satisfied that she was scared and shaking, but not otherwise injured, he took her cell phone from inside the car and dialed 911. Gently prompted by him, she told the dispatcher of their location and that they needed an ambulance. After she was finished talking he hung up her phone and gently held her shaking body until he heard the sounds of the sirens in the distance and hurried away.
Part Four
After the incident Papi redoubled his efforts to have construction on his new home finished promptly. The whole situation had been completely avoidable! Her friends had led her into a dangerous situation. If he had been there he would have taken care of her and he would never have had to do what he did. She could have been seriously injured! He ruminated for several days on this point, pacing and wishing he could retaliate against her friends for letting her down in her time of need. He knew, however, that all of his efforts should be focused on getting his dungeon ready so that he could bring his baby home, where she could be safe and cared for by him. In the meantime, he composed a letter for his Baby -- he thought it was time he spelled out his intentions more clearly for her and included a few small rules for her to follow that would ensure her safety and bring him peace of mind.
Baby spent every moment of the coming days thinking about her masked man. She was terrified of him, she could no longer attribute the attack to chance -- he was definitely stalking her specifically. But she was intrigued by him as well. Why had he broken into her apartment to hurt her only to but her gently in bed afterward? Why was he watching her and why did he come to her rescue when she needed it if he intended her harm? It was this she was contemplating when she received a strange letter in the mail. She knew immediately who it was from and began to read it frantically looking for more information about him.
*
Dear my Baby,
You had your Papi very worried last night, my love. He was afraid that his Baby was hurt, and that it was not Papi that did the hurting. This is unacceptable. Papi loves his Baby and wants to see her safe and happy. He wants to take care of her and keep her safe. In order to do this, I have written several very specific rules for you to follow in the upcoming days. Please do as I say and be a good girl. If you do not obey the rules, if you are disobedient and bad, then there will be consequences. Soon there will be no need for these rules because we will be together, but as long as a must write from afar these will be in place, and don't sorry when we are together, there will be new rules.
1. Baby shall not walk outside after dark -- she may only ride in cars with at least two other people with her.
2. Baby shall carry a knife on her at all time to defend herself with.
I love you, Baby, and I will see you soon.
Love,
Papi
*
She was confused and angered by his letter. This guy must be crazy, and who does he think he is telling her what she can and cannot do? As she seethed in anger on the outside, part of her on the inside knew that he was not crazy, that his love for her was true and that these were rules she should follow, rules that were there for her own good. She dismissed these inner thoughts and grabbed her keys, it was 11pm and she did not want to be alone tonight.
She walked swiftly and surely to her car -- no one was going to give her orders, even if he had saved her life. She was in the car and pulling out of her parking spot when she felt the cold blade of his knife against her throat. She stopped in her place and starred at her mirror, looking into him through his mask and reliving both attacks she had faced since she met him.
