Brian’s POV
The Mustang wasn't there when I got to the house. I decided to go in and wait for Penny, Adam said she would come to me, but where?

I heard crashing and breaking sounds coming from our bedroom, the door was open and there was Gwyn smashing, breaking and ripping everything in the room.
“What are you doing! Why are you in my house again?”
“I was just getting rid of Penny for you, so we can be together and it will look like she was upset and destroyed your room.” Gwyn had obviously gone over the edge. “I was hoping she would be here already.”
“Gwyn, I told you I have no interest in you. We are never going to be together, I love Penny whether she ever forgives me or not. If you don't stop destroying our things and leave, I will call the police.” I pulled out my phone.
“PENNY! I am so fucking tired of hearing about Penny! Even that night, it was all about her! You were so desperate for her you couldn't see me!” She yelled.
“What do you mean I couldn't see you?”
“You thought I was her; it was practically nauseating. But I knew she was on her way and I had to get you in bed.” She continued. “I tried so hard to get you to notice me. Do you know how much I went through? Watching you pathetically worry about her in California? I got her out of our way those days, but you couldn't just open your eyes!”
“You got her out of the way? How did you do that?”
“A little poison, goes a long way.” She said with an evil grin on her face.
“You fucking bitch!” I started to go towards her and she pulled a small gun out of her pocket.
“I wouldn't do that.” She said. I backed up, she motioned for me to sit down. “Get out of that chair and I will shoot you. Give me your phone so you don't try to call 911 without me knowing or somehow warn Penny.” I did as she asked.
“How did you get Dr. Gabriel to lie and keep her here?”
“That was a stroke of luck. After he took care of her when she got ‘sick’ while I was there, I realized he was in love with her. I threatened to have him banned from medicine if he didn't cooperate or even worse.”
“What was even worse?” I asked, afraid of the answer.
“Let’s just say I promised not to hurt Penny.”
“Is that why you are here Gwyn, to hurt Penny?”
“It's the only way to get her out of your head. She's like a tumor and I am going to remove her. I will be doing so many people a favor, whether you all realize it or not.”
“Who else would it be a favor to?” It was becoming clear that this wasn't just about wanting me. She had a grudge against Penny, I wanted to know why.
“All of the men blinded by a pathetic need to protect her. Although, with Adam and Jay it was to my advantage this time.”
“What did Jay have to do with this?”
“He was so worried about protecting her and keeping your friendship that he cut and ran even when you had asked him to check on her.”
“You were the reason he left so suddenly?”
“By way of Adam, yes. Adam was a good puppet, I'm going to miss him.” She said dramatically.
“What did you have over Jay?”

Just then my phone rang, it was Penny’s ringtone. Then there was a voice mail notification followed by two texts.
“Princess is on her way.” She said after reading the texts. “This is perfect. We can get her out of our lives once and for all.”
I was now certain that Gwyn’s mental state was dangerous.
“Gwyn you're right, I have been holding back. You don't have to hurt Penny; I belong with you. I see that now. Let's go and leave this place. Before she gets here” I was desperate to get her to leave before Penny got there.
“Oh, come on Brian, I'm not stupid.”
“I'm telling you the truth. I didn't want her to find out like she did, but now that she is over her illness we can go away together. No one has to get hurt.”
“I don’t know; I don’t think it will work unless she is gone.” I could tell she was thinking about it.
“Don’t you worry that you’ll go to Prison for murder? We could both be implicated. If her best friend and her husband are in a relationship right after she was murdered? We’ll never be able to be together.”
“Oh, it’s not going to be a murder. It’s going to be suicide. Who better to help the grieving husband than her friend?” She chuckled.
“How do you plan to make it look like a suicide?”
“She’s going to poison herself, see that glass over there? It’s all ready and she’s going to drink it as I hold this gun to her head.”
“What if she still refuses?” I asked.
“Then I guess she'll shoot herself.”

Just then we heard Penny come into the house.
“Brian! Where are you?”
“Penny! Go away! Leave the house now!” I yelled.
She came running into the bedroom and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Gwyn standing there with a gun.

Penny's POV
The room had been destroyed, broken glass and shredded clothing were everywhere. I was so stunned and confused. I looked at Brian and I could tell he was afraid.
“That was a waste of breath! You know she never listens when you tell her not to do something.” Gwyn said as she walked toward me.
“Brian?” I said.
“Shut up!” Gwyn snarled at me. “You don't get to speak to him anymore. He just told me that he wants to be with me, not you.” Her eyes were crazed as she grabbed my arm pulling me into the room.
“He did?” I looked at Brian. “Is that true?”
“I said you don't get to speak to him!” She shouted.
Brian started to stand up. “Gwyn, let's just go. We can start our life together.”
“Sit back down!” She pointed the gun at him while gripping my arm tighter. “Do you really think we can have a life if she's here!”
“She won't get in our way; she hates me now. Don't you Penny?”
“Yes” I said. Gwyn twisted my arm behind my back and it hurt like hell.
“Did I say you could speak? You aren't part of this conversation! Shut your fucking mouth!” Gwyn twisted my arm back even more. I could tell Brian was about to jump out of the chair and try to stop her. I knew she would probably shoot him if he did. I looked at him and shook my head just enough I knew he would see.
“You don't have to hurt her.” Brian said.
“You're right, I forgot. Penny, I have a drink made for you.”
“I'm not thirsty.” I said.
“I didn't ask if you were thirsty, stupid. She pulled me over to the nightstand, while keeping the gun pointed at Brian. She released my arm and tried to hand me a glass of what looked like water. “Here, go ahead. No pain.”
“Thanks, but I'll pass. I've been trying to cut back on my poison consumption.”
“That figures, Adam told you. Oh well, it doesn't really matter now. He's just another loose end I need to get rid of. Take the fucking glass and drink it.” She tried to make me take the glass.
“I'm not drinking it; you'll just have to shoot me.”
“Here's a test for you. You supposedly hate Brian now, right?”
I nodded.
“If you don't drink this, I'm not going to shoot you I'm going to shoot him.”
“You wouldn't do that, I thought you loved him.” I said.
“If you're alive he can never truly be mine. So, either you go or he does.” I could tell by the crazy look on her face that she wasn't bluffing
I took the glass from her hand. I looked at Brian, he shook his head. “Please don’t do it.” He mouthed silently.
I looked at him and said quietly “I love you.” Trembling, I put the glass up to my mouth.
“Don't do it Penny!” Brian yelled. I quickly lifted the glass and tried to hit Gwyn over the head with it. I heard the gun go off and felt pain searing through my side as the bullet ripped into my body. The blood started to pour down my side as I fell to the floor.
“You should have just taken the poison. That would have been quick and much less painful. Now you can just bleed to death.”

She grabbed me by the arm, I had barely got on my feet as she pulled me over next to Brian and pushed me to the ground. My head hit the leg of the chair as I fell. Brian got out of the chair and came down next to me.

Brian’s POV
Penny was bleeding badly from the gunshot wound in her side. I could tell She was in tremendous pain. Gwyn drug her over next to me and I had to try to help her. Gwyn yelled at me.
“What the hell is wrong with you? Why would you do that? She was about to drink it!”
“I can't just watch as you kill her. You can't just let her lay here and bleed to death.” I said.
“Brian” Penny said looking at me, she was so pale and she was now also bleeding from the gash on her forehead from the chair leg. I forgot all about Gwyn, I didn't care anymore.
“Yes Penny, I'm here. I'm so sorry.”
“I love you, but you need to go with her. You belong with her.” I knew what Penny was trying to do, she was trying to give me a chance to get away from Gwyn when we were away from there and she let her guard down. “It's okay, I forgive you.”
I bent down and said softly. “I love you, I'm not leaving you here.” Her eyes closed. I knew she needed help soon.
Gwyn said. “That was so touching. Now you have her final blessing, let's go.” I realized she hadn't heard what I said to Penny. I also knew Gwyn was getting more and more delusional.

“Can't we just call an ambulance for her and leave before it gets here?” I pleaded. “We will leave and I will never talk to her again.”
“You say that now, but then later you would start missing her and try to come back. She will always draw you to her if she's alive. Thanks to you making me shoot her, I can't make it look like a suicide anymore. Let's go.”
“She won’t turn you in, we will sell your house and I will divorce her. She can have this house and we will never see her again. You're the one I want Gwyn.” I looked over at Penny she was now ghost white.
“You don't really love me, I can tell by your voice and your eyes. Even that night, you could see and hear how much you pathetically love her.”
“I'm just stressed right now. I do, I've loved you for months.” I took a step closer to Gwyn, “but we can't just leave Penny here like this. Put down the gun we’ll call for help and get out of here.”
She put her hand down to her side, it looked like she was going to drop the gun. Then all the sudden she screamed. “If you don't want to leave her here to bleed to death we can take care of that!” Lifting the gun, aiming it at Penny on the floor and pulling the trigger. I turned and threw myself on top of Penny, I felt burning as the bullet tore across my leg.
“Why did you do that? You’re lucky I flinched when you turned. You’ve got to stop being a bleeding heart for her, she's not worth it.”

I lost it, I couldn't play this game anymore, there wasn't time. I managed to stand up and started to try to charge Gwyn. She was starting to raise the gun to shoot me when Adam ran in and tackled her. She dropped the gun and I picked it up.
She was on the floor. Adam stood up. I was so filled with rage. I pointed the gun at her.
Adam got up and I told him to help Penny.
My hands were shaking, I wanted to shoot her. I heard Jimmy's voice. “Don't do it, Brian. Shooting her is not worth what you will lose.”
“Leave me alone, Jimmy! I don't have anything else to lose that she hasn’t already taken from me!” I said out loud.

Penny's POV
Everything was dark and I felt very cold.
I saw Jimmy, “Open your eyes, Penny. Brian needs you to stop him from doing something he’ll regret.”
“I don't know if I can.” I said.
“You can, you have to.”
I heard a gunshot, then I could hear Gwyn.
“Why did you do that? You’re lucky I flinched when you turned. You’ve got to stop being a bleeding heart for her, she's not worth it.”

I opened my eyes and saw Brian lunging toward Gwyn as she was starting to point the gun at him. Just then, Adam came in and knocked her down. Brian picked up the gun, his eyes were wild with anger.
Brian sent Adam over to me. Then Brian said.
“Leave me alone, Jimmy! I don't have anything else to lose that she hasn’t already taken from me!”
Then I heard Jimmy again. “You have to get Brian to give Adam the gun.”
When Adam ran up I looked at him. I whispered “Don't worry about me, get the gun from Brian.”
Adam walked over to Brian. “Penny's awake Brian, she wants you to give me the gun.”
“Another one of your lies Adam?” Brian’s hands were starting to steady. “She could have killed Penny multiple times. She kept us apart for over 4 months and tried to split us up! Now Penny could be dying as we speak! She doesn't deserve to live!”
“Penny, you are the only one who can stop him!” I heard Jimmy's voice.

Somehow, I managed to push myself part way sitting up. It felt like someone was helping me.
“Junior, give him the gun please. I need you.”
Brian turned and looked at me with surprise, handing the gun to Adam. Brian ran over and held me up just as I felt the force that had pushed me up drift away.
“Brian, you've been shot.” I said.
“It's okay Baby, it just grazed my leg. We need to get you to the hospital.”
“Oh Puke” Gwyn said and she started to stand. “See Penny, you've made him nuts just like you! He hears ghosts!”
“Stay sitting on that floor, Bitch. I heard him too! I am already going to lose everything; I have no problem adding shooting you to my list.” Adam said. “The police and ambulance should be here any minute. I drove through the gate and hit the panic button on the alarm system when I came in.” Just then we heard sirens.
Gwyn spat out, “Penny, you’re pathetic. He only feels sorry for you, that's why he stays.”
I looked over at Gwyn. “Fuck you. You're the pathetic one and the crazy one.”
Brian kissed me. “I love you Penz.”.
“I love you too.” I replied, then I looked at Adam. “Thank you for saving us.”
“It was the least I could do. I can never make up for what I've done.”
I heard the sirens pulling up as everything went black again.

Notes