Trained To Kill

twenty nine: hide and seek

Hello folks-

After realizing that it was completely fucking selfish to stop writing it after it was practically already finished, i decided to force myself to continue. dont ever say i don't love you guys.

but don't blame me if it sucks.

—-

Previously:

"No, no I'm coming back. I just can't right now. I don't want to say too much, it'll put you in danger. But I'm trying everything I can to be able to return home. God, I miss both of you so much." I start crying again. My dad pulls me into his chest and comforts me like he has always been so good at.

"I'm just happy you're safe." He whispers into my hair, and his voice is cracked and broken. "We need you back, Karma."

"I'm safe because of him over there." I peek out from his chest and point to Jacob, feeling so grateful and emotional about all of this that it seems silly not to acknowledge his part in it. I hope he can hear my admission. "You have him to thank for everything." Both the good and the bad, ironically. Even though I've never personally blamed him for what happened.

My dad holds me tighter and Kaya does too. We stay like that for quite some time, but I am in no way complaining. I bend down and hug Kaya more closely and kiss her cheek. "How have you been, munchkin?"

I hear footsteps again and then Jacob is behind us. Kaya spots him and then hides behind my father's legs. I stand up and face him. He eyes my sister hiding from him, and then he's hesitant when he speaks. "Karma, I'm sorry but that's all the time we have for now." He looks at my father and they both seem to have an understanding.

I turned around and wipe my face, and hug my father and my sister one last time. I wipe my cheeks, all cried out, then I step away and stand next to Jacob. "I don't know who you are, but thank you for this." My father says to Jacob in a low voice. Jacob's body slightly shifts in a way that I only I can detect, and I know that hurt him too. Not to mention my sister hiding from him. This was his second family. They don't even recognize him.

"No problem, sir. I am very fond of your daughter and will stop at nothing to protect her. I will try my very hardest to get her back home safely." He says. Although to an average person he may sound cool and collected, he sounds broken to me. I grab his hand and squeeze it, because I know this is so very hard for him. My dad eyes our joined hands and looks at Jacob again, another type of understanding seeming to pass between the two. 

My father reaches out his hand to shake Jacob's, and (reluctantly) Jake accepts the offer. Only, unexpectedly, my dad pulls him in for a hug. Jake clings onto him more than my dad expected, but he doesn't reject him. He just holds on tighter. Jake tries to shake Kaya's hand, but she's still shy and won't come from behind my dad.

If I hug either one of them again, I'll lose it and never want to let go, so I keep it short. "I love you both. I'll see you soon." I say, almost at a whisper.

"We love you too, Karma. More than you can imagine." My dad responds. He looks at Jacob. "Thank you..." He reaches for a name but doesn't find one.

"Jacob." He answers. That's strike three.

"Thank you, Jacob."

After the emotional goodbyes, Jacob makes sure they get back to their car safely and then we head to our own car silently. It feels like such a large weight lifted off of my shoulders, and I see what Jacob meant by me needing hope. He was a hundred percent right, I was ready to give up. I didn't care if Hayden killed me or not. I just wanted everything to be over. Now I realize why I can't be that way. It's not just because Jacob loves me, it's because my family needs me. I've been trying to push them to the back of my mind for the longest, when really I need them in order to keep going. Jake knew that, and God, I love him for that.