Dangers Back (sequel to "Danger")

"It wasn't your fault."

No One’s Point of View:

Pattie’s heart skipped a beat as the unforeseen name flew from Justin’s lips. “Kelsey?” She questioned, baffled; unsure if she heard right as she looked up at her son with nothing but confusion in her eyes. Sitting up as far as she could with Justin towering over her protectively, Pattie cupped his face into her hands. “What about Kelsey, Justin?”

An eerie silence fell over as Justin stared frantic eyed over towards the direction in which the bomb was heard. Everything froze around him and all he could hear was the distant screams of help, a familiar pull at his chest as the memories came flooding back, recalling a time in his life where he had endured the exact same situation.

“Justin…” She whispered painfully upon noticing how Justin looked as though he saw a ghost, no color presuming to show on his face. “Honey, what happened to Kelsey?” Forcing him to look into her eyes, Pattie nearly gasped at the blackness she found in them.

“They took her.” He whispered pain etched with each syllable he pronounced. “They—you… he made me choose. He told me I had a choice, you or Kelsey. I—I picked you…” Shaking his head, Justin tore his gaze as he looked up towards the sky now filling up with smoke, dread suffocating him from the inside out. “I couldn’t let you die because of me…”

Thinking back to the moment where Cole had visited Pattie, realization began to kick in as she remembered the conversation they had. Parting her lips, she let out a shaky breath. “He—he told me something about you choosing, he told me but I—I didn’t know what he was talking about...” Pattie shook her head, trying to make sense of the situation. “This entire time he had both me and Kelsey?”

“He wanted me to pick between the two women in my life that I couldn’t bear to lose.” Justin uttered breathlessly, “He had you both on opposite sides but I only had six minutes. I—I couldn’t let you suffer in a life I chose for myself. I wouldn’t ever forgive myself if I lost you too.” Justin swallowed hard as he parted his lips, “I told Bruce to get her… I told him that he had to save her. That explosion… that was her, she’s in there, she’s—” Scrambling to stand, Justin nearly tripped over his two feet. “We have to go.” He rushed as he grabbed his mom by her hand, “We have to make sure she’s okay.”

Running to his car, Justin helped his mother into the passenger seat before making his way around to the driver’s side. With shaking hands, he pulled out of the driveway, making it onto the road where he sped down the countless streets, his mind in a haze.

Leaning over, Pattie grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “She’s going to be okay.” She comforted, swiping the padding of her thumb across his skin.

Closing his eyes for a brief moment, Justin pulled her hand up to his lips, giving it a gentle peck. “I’m sorry.” He painfully whispered, refusing to meet her eyes as he shamefully looked ahead, nothing but guilt eating him up inside.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Pattie found herself drowning in the sorrows of what her son held inside of him. She couldn’t comprehend what had happened tonight and no matter how hard she tried to forget it, she couldn’t but she’d be damned if she ever let Justin take the blame.