Into My Heart

LXIII

MALLORY

(one week ago)

Kelley stares at me from afar, making clear signs to her men to stand down while I walk toward the entrance door. 

My return to Orange has been quite emotional: indeed, I couldn't go back to school, and my reunions with Becky were nothing but honest. In order to protect my sister and her friends, I needed to pretend.

But, as of right now, I was just feeling my heart pounding against my chest, as the door finally opens. Becky Sauerbrunn stares down at me, raising her eyebrows, before Crystal, her now personal bodyguard, search me. When she calls me clear, Becky indicates to enter and install on the couch in front of her.

As soon as I am settled, she hands me an official file, and when I open it, my eyes go wide.

"No, uh-uh, not doing it" I immediately say, shaking my head.

The file had Shelina's face on it, and it was written in an italic handwriting: "Operation Baby Mama", which obviously consisted in stealing Shelina's baby once it was born. 

Becky smirks. 

"Oh, dear, you don't stand a choice: it's either you so as you're told, or we will take care of Christen and Abby because they are starting to be an issue."

"How do you want me to trust you when I don't even know who your associate is?" I aggressively ask, trying to pull myself together.

Becky smirks.

"You're a smart girl, Mallory : you probably already know who my associate it deep down."

"I really don't" I insist - don't I? I think to myself.

"Anyway" Becky smirks, visibly not about to tell me a damn thing. As I am about to roll my eyes again, she just continues : "Shelina Zadorsky is dangerous : we need a leverage in order to pressure her, there is no other way. Besides, if you don't want us to expose you to your dear friends and sister, then I highly advise for you to do as you're told."

Without adding anything, she just leaves the room, and I am on my way home to elaborate a plan.

*
(earlier today)

I shiver as I feel my head on the verge of exploding, as my knees were weak.

I was walking down the street, on my way to the hospital, feeling very nauseous, when a familiar voice confidentially and coldly resonates:

"Mallory!"

When I turn around, I just freeze.

It has been almost a month since I last saw my best friend, Rose Lavelle, and our last meeting wasn't really positive : we almost kissed, and I chickened out.

I truly don't know how to react, and my body isn't helping : instead, it just prevents me from either moving or speaking.

Rose, who has obviously noticed my weird face, frowns, disappointed.

"Don't worry" she immediately says in a tone that does not sound like her at all, "I understood that you didn't want to talk to me again, that's been clear enough. I just wanted to check on you one last time, because you have disappeared for a month and I was kinda worried with everything that happened in your family, and... Well, never mind."

She stops talking, visibly waiting for me to say something - anything. But don't, without really knowing why.

She nods her head, and her eyes are unusually dark, as she sassily says :

"Alrighty, if you're planning on punishing me forever because I almost kissed you once, then so be it : I am done waiting for you when you're not worth it."

"Rose, I-" I whisper, but my voice breaks.

She waits for a while before getting (rightfully) angry :

"You know what? Never mind, it's like you don't even care at all, so I'm going to stop being so stupid and just accept that my only and best friends ghosted me for an almost kiss."

Of course she was right: there was nothing I could do that'd excuse my behaviour those past few months. But, at that very moment, my thoughts were set on Shelina's baby and my mission, and how I would be able to change the course of things.

Rose, who realises that I was quite absent, just sighs and yells:

"Fuck you, Mal ! I'm done waiting for you!"

With that said, she turns around and starts walking away.

I wish I had the strength and presence of mind to run after her, or finally tell her how I really felt toward her - although I never really was able to put words on those undeniable feelings - but I just couldn't move.

I sigh: Fuck, I tell myself, before turning around as well and running toward the hospital where Shelina supposingly just gave birth.

What happens next is beyond my comprehension...

*

(Present time)

I feel the sudden pain in my stomach, and as I look down at my hands, I realise they are covered in blood. 

There are a few other gunshots, but I just couldn't move anymore: my knees become weak, as I couldn't stand anymore. Instead, I collapse on the ground, groaning in main, seeing my life flashing before my eyes: if this is how I die, then so be it, at least I saved an innocent life... That is when it hits me: where is the baby?

As people are screaming and gunshots broke out, I try to look around me, feeling my stomach starting to decompose, as if a hundred needles were going through me at the same time. At that very moment, when the pain was stronger than before, and that I was feeling my body slipping on the other side, I saw her: this very little baby, crying her heart out, looking my way with her bright grey eyes. 

After a few seconds, I see two arms grabbing her, and suddenly Kristie's face appears above me, and I feel a harsh pressure on my stomach: she was trying to stop the bleeding. I soon realise Alex Morgan is the one that picked the baby up, trying to calm her down. The gunshots have ended, and when I turn my head I understand: 

Becky is on the ground, dead, her eyes wide open staring right into my soul - the rest of her men are either gone or dead. Around us, the Dragons came to rescue their two queens and help them take down half of the Patriarch. 

I let a small victorious laugh out, as Kristie says from a voice that seems so far already:

"You hang on tight, you hear me ?"

"K-Kristie, t-t-tell my s-sister I-I love h-her, a-a-and Abby t-that she better t-t-take care of my s-s-sister... A-and-"

"Mallory, stop: save your strengths, you're going to be just fine." Kristie insists, frowning. 

"A-and" I continue, convinced that my last breath was coming sooner rather than later, "t-t-tell Rose L-Lavelle that I-I w-w-wanted to k-k-kiss her t-t-too..." 

Kristie has a moment of lucidity, as she smirks and says, tears running down her cheeks:

"I knew you were one of us, you look so gay..."

"Kristie" Alex warns her, "not the best time."

"True" Kristie concedes, before winking at me and adding: "We gotta save this gay- I mean, GIRL first!"

But in her eyes, doubt was growing as to if I was going to make it to the hospital alive...

And everything just goes dark, as Ali Krieger lifts me from the ground and starts running.