returning {to the past} -crystal

[~echo~]

Anita smiled when she heard her name. "Hey, Alex. How are you? Are your mom and brothers okay still?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

"I think they're fine," Alex said. "For now. I really don't want to have my inevitable chat with Arlo, though. I don't think it will go over well."

[~echo~]

"I can imagine not," Anita said slowly. She blinked. "So, what was it you wanted to show me?"

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex jerked his head toward the other side of the park. "Come on. Walk with me."

[~echo~]

Anita smiled at him and put her hands in her pockets as they walked. "So..."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex glanced over at her, a smile on his face. His hair may have been shorter, but it still fell into his eyes as a breeze passed. "It's good to see you again, Anita. I know I said it already, but I mean it. I never thought I'd get the chance again."

[~echo~]

Anita blushed down at the ground, partially from happiness and partially from shame. "It's good to see you, too."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex glanced away and sighed. "And I'm sorry that I hurt you. And honestly... if I could go back, I think I would change the way things went for us. Make things... different."

[~echo~]

"Alex... don't.... don't talk like that," she said quietly.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

When Alex looked at her again, he just looked... sad. "But it's true. I... I miss you Anita. I know I shouldn't be saying this, and I know you're seeing someone, but..." He stopped walking suddenly and pushed his fingers through his slightly wavy hair. "I don't think I ever got over you."

[~echo~]

She didn't say anything for a while. Then, "I miss you too."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex stared at her for a few seconds, looking like he wanted to say more. Before he could, someone grabbed Anita from behind. At the same time, a blow landed on the back of Alex's knee, causing him to collapse.

[~echo~]

Anita screamed immediately and started struggling valiantly until a hand clamped over her mouth.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

The park wasn't particularly crowded that day, but no one rushed to their aid. Probably because they recognized the thugs attacking Alex and Anita as gang members. Alex scrambled around on his hands and knees and threw himself at the lower half of his attacker's legs. The man shouted as he went down... hard. Alex, now on top of him, punched his face again and again until he was pretty sure the man was out.

He leaped to his feet and turned toward Anita and the second man, blind rage clouding his vision. He could handle being attacked, but you did not come after her. He grabbed the man's collar and yanked him away from her. He threw a punch at the man's gut, but he twisted out of the way and tore free of Alex's grip. Instead of fighting back, he turned and took off. Alex swore and glanced at Anita. "You okay?"

[~echo~]

Anita looked with wide eyes at the man on the ground, then the one running away. Then she shakily nodded and said, "Yeah, I'm okay."

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

Alex nodded. "Stay here," he said before sprinting after the other man. He wasn't sure why he told her to stay, when deep down he knew she'd do whatever she wanted. Whatever the years had done to him, Alex was still six feet of strength and speed. He flew over the grass until he hit the sidewalk, then dodged through the cars as he crossed the street. He spotted the man disappearing around the corner into an alley and shot after him.

[~echo~]

"No!" she protested haughtily, running after him as fast as she could.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Shocker xD)

Alex grabbed the wall as he swung around the corner, scraping up his palm and fingers. The man was already halfway down the alley, but Alex was gaining on him. When he was about twenty feet away, he pulled a gun out of a holster that had until that point been hidden under his coat and shouted, "Stop! NYPD!"

Of course, the man didn't stop. No one ever did. So instead of letting him get away like people did in cop shows, Alex stopped abruptly and raised the gun. It only took him a split second to aim and fire, and the bullet hit the man in his right leg, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground.

[~echo~]

(I TOTALLY SUSPECTED HE WAS A COP XD)

Anita heard him call the name of the police department, but it didn't really register until she saw him pull out a gun and shoot the culprit. She stopped dead in her tracks when it dawned on her. "A cop!" she whispered, watching him.

[ᴄʀʏsᴛᴀʟғʀᴏsᴛ]

(Smarty pants lol)

Alex kept his gun in his hand as he jogged toward the downed man. The guy clutched his injured leg but managed to glare daggers at Alex. "Who sent you?" Alex asked, stopping in front of him. When the man didn't answer, he trained the gun at the man's forehead. "Who sent you?" he repeated, his voice cold.