The Love of a Crow - Wesper/Crows Fanfiction/AU

33. Jesper

A/N: Guess who's backkkkkkkk! I won't keep you waiting long, and this time I will warn you, it gets a little bit dark here. And dramatic. AGAIN. Either way I hope you enjoy, and I hope I didn't overdo it! :)

  It felt like a knife had dragged its way across Jesper's chest and plunged deep into his heart. All he kept thinking was 'I should have been there. I should have looked for him the second Kaz arrived. I should have never left him'. He wanted to run to Wylan, to tear off the ropes around his wrists and carry him away from that horrid man he called father. The Crows must have seen this, as Nina immediately placed a hand on his shoulder while she covered her mouth with her hand.

"There you have him, all in one piece." Wylan's kidnapper said to Van Eck. It was only then that Jesper recognised the sharp tone of Scales, though today his voice sounded monotone.

"Thank you, Scales. You have done me a great service. Now Brekker-"

"Wait," Scales interrupted, and Van Eck raised an eyebrow as he stepped forward. "We want our money. Now. Or no deal." Scales nodded and one of his guards yanked Wylan back so harshly Jesper could practically hear the rope burn.

Van Eck seemed to consider Scales's words for a moment before he nodded. "Well 'Scales', thank you for making my decision final."

"What decision?" Scales asked nervously.

"To get rid of you."

The triggers were pulled before Scales even had a chance to move. He crumpled to the ground, followed by his two companions, and Jesper wanted to scream. Those bullets were close. Too close.

The pure sound of gunfire seemed to finally rouse Wylan from his sleep, as his groggy eyes opened and tried to take in his surroundings. He tried to reach up to his head wound, but winced as he noticed the rope.

Jesper watched helplessly as Van Eck crouched down in front of Wylan, smiling almost kindly. "Hello, my son." He murmured.

Fear. Pure, unmistakable fear was all that Jesper saw in Wylan's face. He was a deer trapped to the mercy of a bullet. He couldn't run, and from the looks of things, he could barely catch a breath as he stared up at Van Eck. Jesper wanted to scream at Wylan to look at him, to see that he wasn't alone but Wylan seemed lost.

"F...father?" Wylan stuttered, as if willing the words to be untrue.

"You survived longer than I thought you would, Wylan," Van Eck said matter-of-factly, not seeming to care he had just been reunited with his son. Van Eck turned back to Kaz. "Well, Brekker, do you remember my son? Do you not feel any need to help the bastard, to save him from his fate?"

Jesper didn't know how Kaz managed to shake his head, but he did. Van Eck shrugged. "Then you won't mind if I kill him right here. It would save me a lot of time."

What happened next was almost in slow motion. One second Van Eck was crouched down to his son, and the next he had an expensive-looking revolver in his hands, pointed directly at...

Wylan stared down the barrel of the gun, shivering from his spot on the floor. What did it feel like, to have someone you once love point a death machine at your head? Jesper disagreed with Colm at times, but he could never imagine this. He also couldn't imagine losing Wylan.

He won't do it, Jesper scoffed, though his heart was beating a mile a minute. He may be cruel, but that's his son! That's Wylan; sweet, joy-filled Wylan. How could anyone ever think of shooting-

The revolver clicked and Jesper screamed, as if that would freeze time, but it was too late. The trigger was pulled. Wylan winced. Bang!

Matthias grabbed Jesper as he ran forward, but it would do nothing. The bullet would have already hit its target by now. So... why was Wylan still breathing?