Our love couldn't go wrong

Chapter Twenty-Six :

The moment Courtney is safe and in his arms again is the moment he feels as though he can finally breathe. The past three days have been the worst days of his life, to say the least, and he lets the tears roll freely down his face now that Courtney is asleep, curled up against him.

Despite the sheer and utter exhaustion he feels, he refuses to close his eyes. He's scared she'll disappear if he does.

He can still hear the crack in her voice as she said his name, utter disbelief when he first walked into the room behind her dad. She'd sobbed that she thought he was dead - that Jason had killed him - and he could only hold her as she cried. Kenn had been the one to explain how a biker had found him and called 911 and how, somehow (in spite of the concussion and blood loss), he'd convinced one of the paramedics to call her dad and say she'd been taken.

He doesn't really remember that part.

Truthfully, the past few days have been a blur of self blame, pain medication, police interviews and hospital rooms. He sort of remembers Kenn visiting him after his shoulder had been stitched up and being told that there was an amber alert out for Courtney and a BOLO for his truck. He'd cried as he apologised to her dad over and over for not protecting her like he'd promised to. He also sort of remembers Damien coming to pick him up from the hospital; he'd just discharged himself against medical advice and ended up completely breaking down in the passenger seat of his best friend's car. After that, he thinks, they'd gone to pack a bag of Courtney's things. Damien had been so sure that they were going to find her, and Shayne can remember wanting to channel that positivity but being unable to. He made sure to put the letters at the top of her bag - just in case.

And, if he thinks hard enough, he can remember some officers coming to take his statement and him shouting at them. Something along the lines of them not doing their jobs before so how could they be trusted to do them now. God, he wishes he could forget that part.

Today has been a blur in an entirely different way, though. Kenn had called him this morning to say that Courtney had been found and was being taken to the hospital as they spoke. As terrifying as that news was, it was also so relieving.

He didn't care that his truck was also found completely burned out, abandoned on the side of some road. He could replace that; in a sense, it means nothing to him.

Courtney was alive and that was all that mattered.

Once he'd gotten to the hospital and met Kenn in the waiting room, he'd found out the details of what had happened. Jason had tried to hide out in a cabin at Big Bear with her, presumably waiting out the police search, and Courtney fought back. Apparently she hit him over the head with a lamp and ran.

She made it all the way to another cabin and gotten herself help, and he is so proud of her. She saved herself.

He's pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Kenn's phone ringing. The other man is quick to answer and Shayne can't help but listen in on the conversation, "Hey, El, how's it going? Yeah, she's alright...we're with her at the moment but she's asleep. Yeah, it's...she's not looking too good but the doctor said she should make a full recovery..." He trails off and Shayne watches as his face drops slightly, before hardening rapidly. "That's...something. I mean, it's good news, really - I'll let her know when she wakes up. Good riddance, I say. Thanks for letting me know, El, I appreciate you, man...yeah, you take care, too, bud. Alright, thanks."

There's a moment of silence once the phone is hung up and he waits for the news he's been praying for.

"That was Elliott - my friend on the case. He, uh...Jason's dead. Got shot trying to escape arrest and, um, died...on the operating table, upstairs."

Shayne nods, knowing what it means. He was here. But now he's not, and he'll never be here again. She's finally free. Hell, if Jason wasn't already dead, he's damn sure he'd have killed the man, himself; and if not him, he's sure her dad would, instead.

There's a sense of relief, he supposes, in knowing that there's no blood on Courtney's hands. He knows it would've destroyed her if she'd been the one to end Jason's life, even if it meant saving her own. It pains him to know how little she thinks of herself - even before all of this. She cares so much about everyone but herself and he knows that, on some level, she still loved Jason. She still blames herself for it all.

If he could take those thoughts and feelings, he would. He'd crumble under the weight of the world for her if only she asked.

He feels Courtney shuffle slightly against his side, trying not to wince as the movement sends a jolting pain shooting across his shoulder and chest. He ignores the lingering ache, pulling her closer to him when she continues to wriggle. It seems to help - a small sigh escaping her lips before she settles once more.

"You know," Kenn starts, leaning forward so that his elbows rest against his knees, "I only met Jason a handful of times and I never thought he was right for her. There was always something...off about him. I even got a pal to run a background check on the guy."

Shayne has no doubt that that's true. Kenn is very protective of all his kids, but especially Courtney. He understands.

"Out of everyone she's ever brought home for me to meet, there's only ever been one person I thought was good enough for her."

"Who?" He tries to bite back the lump in his throat. He loves Courtney so much and he knows Kenn knows that, but what if he doesn't approve of him? He'd back away completely - he would never put Courtney in a position like that; her dad means the world to her.

"I think we both know the answer to that, Shayne. I know how much you love her and she loves you, too. She's just...scared. When she's ready, you'll know, and she'll say yes. But I also know you'll wait forever if you have to." Her dad confirms, smiling at him and reaching to pat his knee reassuringly. "She trusts you with her life and so do I. I know you'll look after her - you already have. You make her feel so safe and...I just want to thank you for everything. She's my baby girl and she's only here right now because of you. I'm glad she has you, Shayne, she's lucky."

"I'm the lucky one. She's...everything to me. I just want her to know that, when she's ready. But she's gonna need time, after all this...I want her to be in a better place before I even consider anything."

"When that day comes...I'll happily walk her down the aisle to you. You're the only one I can see for her."