In the End ~ Wednesday x Xavier ~ SLOW-BURN

Chapter 36

"Glad you could make it, Addams."

"Sheriff Galpin, nice to see you again."

He scoffs at her, stopping a few feet away from her as he set his hands in his pocket. She slowly reached into her pocket, pressing something on her screen before she met his harsh glare.

"You and Tyler used to be great friends, romantically involved perhaps. Yet here you are, while he sits in a cell. I warned him about you, and look where that got him. Heh, I knew you were up to something Addams."

He began to pace in front of her, rambling a little bit to himself before continuing.

"But you betrayed him! You set him up and released this inner beast! It wasn't meant to get out, yet the second you come here things start happening. No one was supposed to know anything about his mother's history. And you told the whole town of Jericho! I lost my wife, the son I swore to my dead wife I would protect, and almost my job. What else do you want Addams?"

She merely stared at him, shrugging her shoulders slightly as she gave him a pointed glare. 

"I was not involved with your son like you think I was. I was tasked with discovering why locals were being murdered, not with framing your son. I had no interest in him, he was a resource I could use to come to this conclusion. You are falsely led, Galpin. Laurel Gates is the one you are in search of."

"You liar!" he shrieked, and she watched as he stepped closer to her. Xavier moved forward slightly, holding a scrap piece of wood he found. Her eyes flew to him for a split second and shaking her head slightly so only he caught it.

He was surprised to hear she felt nothing at all for Tyler, but was it really true?

She stepped back, and Galpin studied her blank expression.

"You didn't have to get involved. He was my only family, and now he's gone. Don't you see? You and your...family of freaks are the real criminals here, trying to douse your blame onto my son."

She sharply inhaled, and a fit of fiery anger ignited in her eyes. She stepped towards him, causing him to slightly falter in his place.

"Don't ever speak of my family in that way. I won't let innocent lives be lost due to your ignorant bias. Your son was killing locals, he was manipulated into the killing. He had to be stopped, even if he wasn't doing it consciously. You're a selfish criminal who needs to be put back in your place."

"You thought you were meant to save Nevermore? That path was never meant for you. I have killed many before who have tried and gotten too close. Well now, you will regret ever figuring it out."

A huff escaped his mouth, and he began to charge toward her. She began taking a few, slow steps back, watching the man carefully as he approached her. She looked over at Xavier as Galpin got closer, shaking her head slightly to warn him off. Not yet. He stood hesitantly, watching intently as now Galpin was hovering over her small stature.

Her eyes flew back to the man, whose hot breath now beat along her forehead. 

"I will end you, Addams."

Xavier slowly started to make his way up to the man, trying to see what he was doing. That's when a gut-wrenching sound filled his ears.

She stared intently at the man's face, trying to think through her next steps. She knew how it ended, with sharp pain and a blade. Plus her blood poured out of her. 

His hand curved around the handle of the knife, before swiftly pulling it out and shoving it into her abdomen forcefully. She let out a slight gasp, looking down at the blade.