October 2009
Delilah was waiting for Cole to come outside. All weekend they had been pranking each other.  She grinned and pumped the water gun one more time.

"Naaa.. I think we're just gonna hang out here tonight. Take it easy." She heard the French door open and saw Cole step outside. He was on the phone. "Ok. I'll call you tomorrow. Later." He put the phone on the table.

"Lils? Where are you? I know you're out here."

"I'm right here." She stepped out and pulled the trigger on the water gun. A stream of water hit him directly in the chest.

He looked down at his soaking wet tee shirt then up at her. An amused smile covered his face.

"That's the best you got?"

"Come on, you know that was good." She tossed her gun to the side.

"For an amateur."

"You think you can do better?" She crossed her arms. She didn't realize she was standing so close to the edge of the pool.

He started to walk towards her. "Darlin, I know I can." He pulled her into his arms.

"Really? Is that a fact?"

"Yea." He pecked her mouth. "Now... let me show you how it's done."

He dove off the side of the pool with her in his arms, both of them fully clothed. When she surfaced he was laughing.  "If you're gonna get someone wet then do it right."

She splashed him and headed for the side of the pool. Cole snagged her around the waist pulling her against him. "Where do you think you're goin? I ain't done yet."

"We are both dressed." Her hands rested on his shoulders as her legs wrapped around his waist.

"And?" He leaned in close. "We're alone. There's no body here." He whispered before catching her mouth beneath his. Surprisingly the water as warm for mid October.

Her arms circled his neck as she let him deepen the kiss. She could taste the Miller Lite and Patron on his tongue as it stroked hers. Cole backed her against the side of the pool never breaking the kiss. They were so caught up in kissing they didn't hear Chris clear his throat until the second time.

He slowly lifted his head. Delilah's eyes were dazed and her lips swollen. He looked at Chris.

"Chris, what are you doin here?"

"Uh, well I came to tell you that there was a problem the song. Somethin's not right...I tried to call but you didn't answer."

Cole released Delilah who pulled herself out of the pool. "My phone's in the house. What do you mean something's not right?" He climbed out. His wet clothes sticking to him.

"The sound is off. There's a whine somewhere."

"Ok." Cole grabbed a towel from the cabinet and handed one to Delilah. "So we fix it."

"Problem is...it's gotta be fixed tonight or it won't be done in time."

Cole looked at Delilah who shrugged. "I don't care."

"Alright... let me get changed and I'll meet you there. Give me thirty minutes."

"Ok.  Do I even want to know how you both ended up in the pool completely dressed?"

"No." Cole grinned.

"Bye."

Delilah was halfway up the stairs to shower and change her clothes when Cole grabbed her. "I'm sorry, baby... I gotta go in."

"It's ok." She pecked his mouth. "Go do what you have to do and I'll be here when you get back. I just can't promise I won't be sleeping."

"Oh you better not be." He goosed her. "I'll just wake you up."

"Mmmm... I do like the way that sounds." She wrapped her arms around him. "Go shower so you can get back here to me."

"You bet your sweet ass." He kissed her softly. "I love you."

"I love you too."

After Cole left Delilah showered and went down to the kitchen to get a glass of wine. She was pouring her wine when a noise caught her attention. Her head snapped towards the back of the house. "Hello? Is someone there?"

Darkness had long settled around the house. She shivered. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. She swallowed hard. "Hello?"

Her phone was upstairs. She needed to get to it. She carefully and quietly made her way towards the stairs. She was on the landing when she heard the noise again. She ran up the rest of the stairs and locked herself in the bedroom. She grabbed her phone off the nightstand and dialed Cole's number. It went straight to voicemail. "Cole, it's me.... There's someone in the house. I'm locked in the bedroom." She heard footsteps in the hallway. "Cole... I'm scared...."

The door knob rattled and Delilah ran for the bathroom. She locked herself inside and dialed 911. "Williamson County 911, what is your emergency? Do you need police, fire or EMS?"

"I need the police please."

"What's the emergency, ma'am?"

"There's someone in my house." Fear was rising in her chest. She heard glass break and knew someone was in the bedroom. "Please."

"What's the address?"

"72 Spanish Hollow. Please you have to hurry. There's someone in my bedroom. I've locked myself in the bathroom."

Just then the bathroom door was kicked in and Delilah saw a man standing in front of her wearing a ski mask. She screamed as he grabbed her by her hair. "Who you talkin to, bitch?" He growled and crushed her phone under his phone when she dropped it.

He dragged her down the hall and flung her down the stairs. The wind was knocked out of her but she saw him looming over her and scrambled back. "What do you want? Who are you?"

"It's not important. You're about to get what you deserve." He sneered and back handed her across the mouth. She felt blood ooze down her chin. He kicked her in the stomach then grabbed her hair again. She struggled against him. Tears streaming down her face. Cole's face flashed through her head. Her brother, Caroline, her nephew, her friends, her parents. She wasn't going to let him kill her. She saw their picture out of the corner of her eye. She kicked and clawed at him. He wasn't taking her from the people she loved most.

He once again flung her to the floor when he heard sirens in the distance. "You stupid whore." He slapped her. "This isn't over." He grabbed her hair and slammed her head into the floor. Spots swam before her. He released her and kicked her once more before rushing for the patio doors.

There was a banging on the front door. "Police! Open up!" She managed to crawl over and pull herself up. She flipped the locks and three officers rushed in, guns drawn. "Ma'am." One of them stooped. "Did you call the police?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Is anyone else here?"

"No. He went out the door." She pointed with a shaking hand to the open patio doors.

"Get me EMS." He said into his mic on his shoulder. "Female, white, beaten. Possible internal injuries."

Delilah was seeing spots and the room tilted. He caught her as EMS rushed in. "I'm fine."

"No you're not." The female EMS wrapped an arm around her waist. "Let's get you checked out."

Cole was listening to the playback on his song. Recording an album had been a dream since he moved to Nashville. Finally he had the chance to lay down a couple tracks and now this. . He shook his head. "What's the problem?"

"Looks like someone tried to record over it."
  Michael shook his head. "It's gonna take a couple of days to get the studio time booked."

"Then do it." Cole replied. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out. He had a voicemail from Delilah. He smiled and hit play.

"Cole, it's me.... There's someone in the house. I'm locked in the bedroom. Cole... I'm scared...." His mouth fell open. The color left his face. He looked around for Chris.

"Chris! I gotta go! There's something wrong at home. You got this?"

His drummer looked confused but nodded. "Yea."

Cole rushed for the house. He was pretty sure he broke every speed limit law as he pulled into his driveway spewing gravel. He saw Delilah being carried out on a stretcher. He ran for the ambulance. An officer stopped him. "I'm sorry, sir..."

"That's my girlfriend... This is my house. What happened?" Panic was setting in.

"Looks like someone broke into your house. They beat up the young woman. She's been fading in and out of consciousness. Are you Cole?" He asked.

"Yes! Please. Let me see her." He knew he sounded desperate.

"You can follow the ambulance. The detectives will be along shortly."

Cole jumped back in his truck and turned on his flashers as the ambulance pulled out of the driveway.

He parked and rushed in the ER doors. "Delilah Bryan... where is she?" He pretty much screamed at the nurse.

"I'm sorry, you are?"

"Her boyfriend. Where is she? She was brought in here a few minutes ago. Pretty, brunette, beaten?"

"Third door on your left but you can't go back. The doctor is with her. He will be out shortly." The nurse replied.

Cole swallowed hard. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed Luke's number.

He answered on the third ring. "Cole... Man, it's nearly eleven pm..."

"It's Lila, Luke. You need to come down to St. Vincent's."

"What happened?" Luke sat straight up in the bed. Caroline looked at him curiously.

"Someone broke into the house. I had to go down to the stage. They beat her up, Luke and they won't let me see her."

"I'm on my way. I'll be there in twenty." He flung the blanket back and looked at Caroline. "Call Jess. Have her come stay with the boys. Lila's in the hospital."

"What?!" Caroline's mouth fell open.

"Just do it, Car!" Luke snapped. He pulled on his jeans and a tee shirt as Caroline made the phone call.

Cole was pacing the lobby when Luke and Caroline ran through the door. "Cole?"

"She's back there with the doctor. They won't let me see her."

Luke marched towards the nurses' station. "Where is my sister?"

"Name?"

"Delilah Bryan. She came in by ambulance thirty minutes ago."

"The doctor will be out shortly."