The Difference Between You & I

[Pierced Musie]

Thank you guys for all of the reviews so far. It means so much to me!

The next chapter should be ready by Monday. It would have been ready by Sunday but I am heading out for the day tomorrow.

[Pierced Musie]

Chapter two is finally ready! Enjoy. Oh and this was inspired by the song Chelsea Dagger.

Chapter Two

Playtime is Almost Over.

"But what does it mean?" she asked, desperate for the meaning and irritated that none of them would give her a straight forward answer. Peter glanced at Lara, who had been watching them since the teenager had walked in to the station. She knew that he was silently pleading for her to take the girl and explain it, but she was enjoying the scene too much to interrupt.

Matilda just kept staring at the detective, waiting for an explanation to the letter that she was holding in her hand. At first she had just been confused by the words, unable to understand no matter how many times she read them. Now, after Peter had tried to help, she was just full of rage. He had tried, and failed, to explain it as gently as possible. It was on to plan B for Peter Baker.

"It means your visiting rights are restricted. You'll have to communicate through phones and there will be something separating you," he told her, watching as her face paled and the rage, that she had been clinging to, flowed away.

Matilda looked down at the letter in her hand, her eyes roaming over the words printed on the rough paper. When she had read the letter the first time, she had guessed that it was telling her that there would be some things different with her visit. She just hadn't wanted her suspicions to be correct, so she had gone looking for Morag. When she couldn't find her, she went to the second best person to ask. Which is how she had ended up at the police station, in Peter's office.

She wasn't impressed with his answers.

"Why?" was all she could ask. Even though she looked pale and near breaking point, like a lost little girl, her tone was that of a fighter. Peter couldn't help but think that Matilda had been hanging round Morag for too long. She stared at him, one eyebrow raised, as she waited for another answer. He wanted to lie to her but he couldn't. After everything, he owed her the truth.

"You are too young to be put in a visit where there are others around. You are going into a prison that holds murderers, drug abusers and possibly paedophiles. If anything goes wrong then this way, you aren't being put in danger," he told her, giving her a half truth. He tried to decipher what she was feeling but within seconds, Matilda had managed to put a barrier up. It was obvious that she was angry still.

"Shouldn't it be up to me?" she asked, determination in her voice. He glanced at Lara again, still trying to plead with her. She shrugged and gave him a look that told him he shouldn't lie to the girl. It was okay for her though; it wasn't her who had to explain to the teenager. Peter looked at Matilda again, finding himself unable to look her in the eye. That was when she realized. "Tell me the whole truth."

"Ric is one of those murderers. We all may know the truth but they are convinced that he killed Rocco and will treat him like they treat all murderers," he told her. The barrier came crashing down, her cheeks going red and her hands clenching into fists. It was obvious to both Peter and Lara the rage Matilda had been feeling before was nothing compared to how she felt now. Lara watched in new found fascination, seeing the glare that was being aimed at the detective. She couldn't decide if Matilda was going to just walk out or if she was going to slap Peter.

With the way he had handled their whole conversation, Lara was hoping to see him slapped. But all Matilda did was slam the letter down on Peter's desk, turn and walk out, pushing passed Jack as he made his way in. He glanced at Peter and then at Lara.

"What did I miss?"

\\\\\

"I bet you thought you would be bored in here," were the words that made Ric smile. He glanced at the person who had spoken, seeing a responding smile.

"I guess I didn't realize what you guys got in prison. This almost makes up for being caged," Ric replied, as he took a book off the shelf. Old man Walter, one of the few inmates who was still trying to be friendly to Ric, just watched him.

'That's a good book. Should keep you out of mischief for a while," he said, humour in his voice. Ric laughed as he took a seat at one of the tables in the room. He opened the book and began to read, welcoming the silence that he found in the room. If he had known how relaxing it was in there, he would have ventured out of his cell days ago. There was no point in spending every hour in his cell now; Johnny had made that perfectly clear.

With his concentration fully on the book, he found himself fascinated from the first page. He was so engrossed that he didn't hear the prison guard come in until he spoke, making Ric jump.

"The governor wants to see you," he said, his words aimed at the only other person in the room. Ric glanced at Walter and smiled when he saw him roll his eyes. The older man followed the guard, Ric watching them go. It was only then that he took a good look round.

The room, which could only be described as a lounge area, was quite big. There were stacks of books to choose from and, from what he had been told, they were changed every two month. There was one pool table and other games for them to play. The lounge was a relaxing place. Somewhere for him to find a small amount of peace and quiet. Or so he hoped.

Ric looked down at the book in his hands, grinning to himself. It had been a long time he had been able to concentrate on reading an actual book. He had given up school because he couldn't concentrate enough to study. Things had changed when Flynn had died, including how his mind worked. He preferred to think of it as a good change but right then, he wasn't so sure.

The thoughts of Flynn wiped the smile off his face. Since the trial, he had thought many time about how Flynn would have reacted. He knew deep down that there would have been no disappointment but his mind played tricks with him. All Ric could think was that every single one of his friends were probably disappointed in him. That would have explained the lack of visits.

"No," he murmured. His voice may have been barely audible but his tone shook off all doubts. To think that his friends would turn their backs on him made him feel guilt. Ric put a stop to the thoughts, going back to the book that he had found interesting moments before.

Ric had gotten through two chapters before he was joined in the lounge. He heard them walk in but didn't look up, not bothered. If he had bothered to look up, he would have realized it was time to leave. It was a few seconds before someone hit the back of his head and ruffled his hair. He glanced up and watched as Johnny took a seat opposite him. Ric didn't move or show any fear, getting used to Johnny showing up. Johnny just smirked at him. Ric book-marked the book and placed it on his lap, giving his full attention.

"Is there something I can do for you?" he asked, wanting to get out as quick as possible.

"I saw you in here on your own and we figured you would want company," Johnny explained. Ric glanced at the other two in the room, finally realizing that he was being watched. He glanced at the door as a third man walked in and shut the door, blocking the small window. Still he didn't show any fear; he just put his full attention back on to Johnny.

"I'm touched but I prefer being alone," Ric told him. Johnny laughed, the others following on. That was not the reaction Ric was hoping for. Johnny moved his chair closer to Ric, taking the book from his lap and reading the cover. "I didn't know you were a bookworm."

"There is a lot you don't know about me," Johnny shot back, throwing the book down on the table. He stared at Ric, his amused gaze falling on the red marks on his neck. The burn marks had stopped hurting days ago but, as Johnny kept staring at them, they began to itch. It was like his gaze had the power to re-burn the marks, causing more pain and suffering.

But Ric just stared back, unwilling to show the fear that was deep inside him. He glanced one more time at the others in the room before moving to stand, wanting to get out of there and away from them. Johnny's hand on his arm stopped him and he was roughly pushed back into his chair.

"We haven't finished talking yet," he warned.

"What do you want from me?" Ric asked, his voice calm. Johnny stared him right in the eyes and when a grin appeared on his face, Ric knew that he saw the fear in them.

"You've been here for almost a month and have only had one visitor, but from what I've been hearing, that is about to change. The way I hear it, you're about to see your girlfriend again and that means everything to us all," Johnny explained.

"No," Ric said instantly, knowing exactly what they wanted. Johnny laughed again but this time there was no humour.

"I'm not asking you to do something for me. I'm telling you," he replied.

"And I'm telling you no," Ric said as he stood up again. He moved to go to the door, intent on getting out any way possible. But Ric was too slow. As one of the thugs blocked the door fully, a hand grabbed his arm again and he was roughly turned round, a fist connecting with his face. He stumbled back, right into one of the other thugs. All he got was a knee to the stomach. Ric doubled over in pain, falling to the floor. Not wanting to be left out, the other thug kicked him in the ribs. It was obvious that he hadn't done it as hard as possible to make sure he didn't break any bones. Ric wanted to laugh at that, but the feeling of pain took up all of his abilities.

"Ready to reconsider?" Johnny asked. When Ric stayed silent, he was hit in the face again by Johnny. He just watched as Johnny signalled at one of the others, Ric's eyes going wide as he was thrown a pool cue. Johnny waved it a few times, as if teasing Ric. "That's the problem with prisons these days. Not enough guards to watch every room."

"Do I look like I care?" Ric mumbled, his jaw cracking in protest at being hit twice. They laughed at him, their enjoyment of the situation obvious.

"So the pretty boy doesn't mind a few bruises to the face?" Johnny asked, putting the pool cue under Ric's chin and making him look up. "How would she react to a few bruises?"

"Leave Matilda alone!" Ric said forcefully, anger instantly appearing in his eyes. Though Johnny would never admit it to anyone, he was impressed with the protectiveness that Ric had for his girlfriend.

"It's not like I could do anything anyway. Remember, I am locked in here with you," he told Ric. The anger Ric felt did not disappear. Johnny moved the pool cue away and twirled it again, staring down at Ric with a sick grin on his face. As soon as he saw the look, the anger in Ric faded, replaced with defeat.

"What do you want me to do?" Ric asked, his voice flat.

"Make your girlfriend bring in a few things for us," Johnny told him. Ric, still holding his stomach in pain, slowly got to his feet.

"She is coming tomorrow," he said, no emotion in his voice or on his face. Johnny put his hand on Ric's shoulder, happy with the way things were going. He hadn't expected Ric to agree so easily.

"See what happens when you cooperate with us. We can get along just fine in here with a little cooperation and understanding," he told Ric.

"I see her tomorrow and when she asks if there is anything I want brought in next time..." Ric said, stopping to weigh up the situation. He wanted to cooperate, for some reason knowing that if he did then Johnny would stop the torture, but he knew that saving himself would sacrifice Matilda's safety. And when her safety is on the line, there would be no contest. He took a deep breath, knowing what was going to happen. Matilda's safety was worth it.

"... I'll tell her no, you sick son of bitch," he said, showing Johnny no fear. The hand that had been resting on his shoulder dropped, Johnny shaking his head at the words.

It wasn't long before the pool cue connected with his face, knocking him off his feet. As soon as he hit the ground, all hell broke loose. He felt every whack of the cue on his back and sides, knowing that the welts would be there for weeks. But he didn't care; all that mattered was that Matilda was kept out of harms way.

Fifteen minutes later they both walked passed guards and prisoners as they made their way up to his cell, Ric leaning on Johnny for support. No one asked questions about the state that he was in. They just glanced at him, some with pity in their eyes. Johnny, being the gentleman he was, helped Ric all the way into his cell and placed him on his bed, watching as Ric just winced as he tried to lay down on his back.

"You might want to turn over," Johnny told him, amusement in his voice.

"Get the **** out of my cell," Ric murmured, making Johnny laugh. He knelt down to Ric's level, Ric watching his every move.

"You can't tell me what to do after everything you took from me. Playtime is nearly over and trust me, when that is over then you will want to take anything that is offered," he told him, the words chilling Ric to the bone. He looked at Johnny, really looked at him, and was shocked at the difference. There was no amusement and no sick playful look; just a man still in mourning. And that is what scared Ric the most. Within seconds that side of Johnny was gone and Ric watched as he stood up and walked to the door. Before he left, he glanced back at Ric.

"Remember what I said," he said, before leaving. As he left, someone took his place in the cell. Walter watched Johnny leave, making sure he was far away, before taking a closer look at Ric. The bruises on his face were already beginning to go black and blue.

\\\\\

She watched as they filed in, one by one, and found their loved ones. Some paid attention to nothing but their visitors. Others took a good look at each and every one of the visitors behind the glass. Which was what one prisoner, older than most there, was doing as he caught sight of Matilda. Recognition entered his eyes, yet she had never seen him before. Her initial reaction was fright but she soon banished that, finding the old man unthreatening. If anything, the smile and little wave he offered her put her at ease a little.

As the old man moved on, Matilda sat back in her chair and waited while the last of the prisoners made there way in. She watched the last person as he slowly wandered in, his head down and his arm to his stomach. As he got closer and took a seat, careful not to lean back on the chair, Matilda finally got a good look at her boyfriend. What she saw made her want to scream. His face was covered in bruises, a mixture of black, purple and red. Upon further inspection, Matilda noticed that it wasn't just his face that was injured. As her eyes travelled down to his neck, her heart missed a beat. Though the burn marks were healing nicely, the scars were there for all to see. They made her feel sick.

Ric just stared back at her, the sight of his girlfriend taking away all of the pain that Johnny had inflicted on him 24 hours before. It was obvious that she was assessing the bruising, burns and wounds that were visible to her. And there were many. He reached out, picking up the phone and waiting. She mirrored his actions, putting the phone to her ear.

"It's good to see you," he said, all emotion behind his few words. The raw emotion was like a slap in the face. Matilda looked down, not wanting Ric to see the pity and the tears in her eyes. He watched her, thankful. When she had her emotions under control, she looked at him once more.

"How are you?" she said, feeling stupid for asking. He gave her a small smile, though it did not reach his eyes.

"Tell me what I have missed," he replied, avoiding her question. She swallowed down the lump in her throat, determined not to break.

"Cassie and Macca are moving back to the Bay. It was actually Macca who suggested it and he is helping in a big way. I think he feels he owes you. Kit is about ready to cut the baby out herself but that is to be expected. She never has been the most patient Hunter," Matilda said, smiling when Ric laughed.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"I nearly slapped Peter yesterday. But in my defence, I was provoked," she replied, trying to act innocent. Ric nodded, the smile still on his lips. Seeing the spark beginning to shine again gave Matilda hope. The hope was short-lived.

"How is Sal? And Pippa?" he asked, his love for his family coming through his voice.

"Sally is working hard on your appeal, just like everyone else. And Pippa is..." Matilda said, stopping a little too abruptly. She wanted to tell Ric that his baby sister was getting on fine but she couldn't lie to him. And he didn't want to hear a lie.

"Tell me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"She may be a small child but she understands something has happened. She keeps asking for you and we keep telling her you'll be home soon but she cries for you," Matilda replied, her voice cracking as she thought of the many times she had heard Pippa screaming out for her brother since the sentencing.

Ric just watched his girlfriend, unable to crack like her. He refused to let the emotions get to him, even though he was breaking inside. It was in this moment of pure sadness that Matilda could ask the one question she had wanted to ask from the moment she had seen his battered and bruised face,

"Is that the work of Johnny?" she asked, her eyes on the scars that graced Ric's neck.

"I can handle it. Do not worry about me," he told her, his tone forceful. At that moment a sound filled the room, indicating that it was time to say goodbye.

"I'll come back soon," Matilda told him. He didn't reply. He just put his phone back and placed his hand on the glass. The reason behind the move was obvious; he didn't have the strength to say the words. So she just laid her hand on the glass, covering his, and mouthed the words that he just could not speak. The glass went from cold to warm and to both, it felt like they were touching. The feeling didn't just comfort Ric. Within seconds the moment was broken and Ric was being guided away by the old man who had first put her at ease. All she could do was watch as the love of her life was thrown back into the pit of hell.

Fifteen minutes later, as Matilda left the prison, Johnny watched her from the yard. From her features, and her actions, it was obvious that Ric had failed him. And no one ever failed Johnny Cooper.

\\\\\

"One hell of a girl you've got there," he said as he sat on the window seat right next Ric. All he got in reply was deafening silence. Ric had heard him but he stayed silent, unmoving and unblinking, as he stared at the wall. Johnny just watched him, waiting for a reaction, any reaction, from his new 'friend'. He became disappointed very quickly.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" he asked, chuckling as Ric finally looked at him.

"I don't like the sound of my own voice. Guess that's one thing we don't have in common," Ric replied, glancing at the guards and other prisoners in the lounge room. He was thankful that they were around, knowing that Johnny would never try anything with witnesses around. So Johnny just sat closer to Ric and put his arm round his shoulders.

"You're a funny guy but comedy won't keep you in my good books," Johnny whispered in his ear, Ric shuddering at the closeness. The hand resting on his shoulder became tighter, the fingers digging into his flesh. It would have been bearable, if the grip hadn't been on one of the more painful bruises, courtesy of Johnny and the pool cue. But right at that very moment the pain that shot through his shoulder was enough to blur Ric's vision and he closed his eyes tight. Oh course, this made Johnny grin in happiness.

"Open your eyes," Johnny instructed, Ric doing what he was told for once.

"What do you want from me?" Ric asked through gritted teeth.

"I just came to see how your visit went. I saw her leave and she seemed very happy for someone whose been told to bring a few supplies in next time," Johnny replied, feeling Ric tense up even more as he looked down at the floor. He waited for Ric to speak, to admit that he hadn't asked. Even after the beating he had taken, he had still rebelled by saying nothing. If it had been anyone else then Johnny would have been impressed by the braveness. But Johnny could never be impressed by the person who took away his only brother. So he waited, and waited, until finally Ric found his voice again and spoke.

"I was going to ask but I couldn't. She is just a kid," he said, knowing that it was a lame excuse. Johnny laughed, genuinely amused.

"A kid that you seem to care about a lot," Johnny commented. "I told you that playtime will be over for you soon. Next time she visits, you ask her."

"I would rather suffer more beatings than do your dirty work," Ric murmured, knowing that he was playing a dangerous game. But then Ric had never been one for the safe path. Johnny roughly pulled Ric closer.

"That can be arranged. You should be thankful you are still breathing after what you did to my brother. Lucky for you, I am a patient man and believe me, I am going to enjoy every single day of torture until you realize that your life doesn't belong to you anymore," Johnny whispered in his ear, the words chilling Ric to the core. Knowing that the words had gotten through, Johnny's mission was complete. He patted Ric's bruised back, kissing him roughly on the forehead, and then he was gone.

The chill stayed with Ric for the rest of the day.

To Be Continued...

[Zetti]

Very good

[Adia]

Brilliant!

I'm glad Ric is standing up for himself and Matilda... the interaction between him and Johnny is so realistic and the dialouge is great. I really like your style of writing, it flows really well and is so descriptive, it's awesome.

I just love how you've written Johnny. One minute he's so threatening and powerful...

The burn marks had stopped hurting days ago but, as Johnny kept staring at them, they began to itch. It was like his gaze had the power to re-burn the marks, causing more pain and suffering.

and then the next minute (or 15 or so)...

He looked at Johnny, really looked at him, and was shocked at the difference. There was no amusement and no sick playful look; just a man still in mourning.

Matilda is definitely coming into her own as well. Lol, I would've loved to have seen her slap Peter!

[Oxidizer]

Whoa! You're an awesome writer! That was wicked.

[Natasha]

Great chapter. Looking forward for more.

[carmelle]

Woah that was awesome writing.

I loved the whole Pippa missing her brother stuff from Matilda's pov - brilliant!!!

Cant wait for the next one!!!

[Liska]

Great chapter! I love your way of writing; it looks so real. I think Matilda will get in trouble and I think it has something to do with Johnny and his gang and Ric won't be able to do anything... Can't wait for your next chapter!

[emmasi]

I've only read the first scene of this chapter - so far so good. I like that Lara seemed to be taking Mattie's side, or at least happy not to take Peter's.

I'll read more later but I feel absolutely wretched right now and just can't find the strenght. Just wanted you to know that I AM still interested in this fic! Veeeery interested

[Pierced Musie]

Thanks for the reviews guys. I just want to know a couple of things, okay?

Is there anything you've really loved so far?

Anything you've really hated?

Any comments help

Next chapter should be ready any day now.