Between us

Chapter 23

"Good morning, Charlie." Lucy said when she gave me my daily medicine.

"What's so great about this morning?" I asked and she smiled while she busy humming a soft tone.

"Perhaps the fact that Puppet is still healthy, and that we're still alive."

"I guess that counts." I said wryly and stood up to stand at the window, memories of Ryder surfacing and I sighed sadly.

"I really miss the orphanage." Lucy said deep in thought, and I looked over to her.

"Orphanage?" I asked.

"Yeah, my parents died in a car accident when I was five. I stayed at an orphanage until I turned nineteen, and then I studied to become a nurse. But still every year, I go over and celebrate festivities with them." She said with tears in her eyes. I walked over to her and gave her a tight hug.

These couple of days we've become close friends and I consider her my little sister, even though she's only a year younger than me.

"Lucy, do you know where Dominic went this morning?" I asked when I saw the guards deep in conversation.

"No idea, but it seemed very urgent, I think he'll be home by tonight." She said and looked at me. "Why? Do you have a plan?"

"I do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hawk's pov:

He laid in bed and felt how guilt consumed him again and again. It was HIS fault Charlie was kidnapped, and that Ryder was killed. He should've never told her that she wasn't his daughter, but as always, his pride couldn't take another blow, he couldn't handle the truth.

His last days were supposed to be spend with his family, and that was a secret he swore he would take to his grave. Even Nana left him alone, she got a slight heart attack and blamed him for everything, she now stays at an old age home just to stay away from him.

Even Ryder's family had come to visit him, and he was so happy that they didn't know that he was the reason that their son got killed. But now that they're gone as well, he feels so lonely, even Charlotte told him that he'll die all alone.

While he was still feeling sorry for himself, he heard a loud commotion outside. He struggled to sit upright and then he heard someone approaching his room with slow deliberate steps.

He feared that this would happen.

When the door opened, he swallowed hard and saw who it was. It was none other than Black Badger himself.

He shivered and his machine began to beep loudly. Black Badger smiled but the smile never reached his eyes, there was only hate and anger reflecting in them. He definitely looked more menacing then when he last saw him.

"Summers, how's it been old friend?" His voice was even more menacing, although there was a snarling grin on his face. But it was only when he grinned, did Hawk really see who he was. 
He remembered him. 

"James." Hawk answered with a firm voice, even though fear flowed through his body. "As you can see, I'm as fit as a fiddle."

The sarcasm didn't even faze Black Badger. Instead, he came forward and any trace of amusement was gone. "Only she was allowed to call me that."

"And what should I call you then?" Hawk asked and felt bitter. "It is your real name, isn't it?"

"Charlie got kidnapped, her husband - also my right hand - got killed, and we both know whose fault it is." Black Badger ignored his remark and walked closer.