A Million Trillion Billion (What's Eating Gilbert Grape Fanfic) *ORIGINAL*

Chapter 27 - Confrontation

"Okay, we'll stay here, and you call us, if anything goes wrong, and keep me updated!" Leon yells to us as we exit the driveway. "Will do! Thank you, my friend!" Gilbert shouts back, as Ellen, Amy and Leon wave to us.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Jimmy asks Gilbert from the backseat. "What if he finds out your location?" He turns to me. "I'll be fine, and besides, it's about time I had a chat with my 'old man'." I say, turning back to face the windscreen.
"What is he tries to hurt you?" Becky gives me a worried look. "She's right." Jimmy agrees.
"Then I'll defend myself. I'm not a headless chicken." I say, firmly but kindly.
"We don't even know if they've found him yet." I continue, "Even if they have, he's behind bars, for good."
"He escaped once, he'll escape again." Jimmy argues. "Not if they have him in solitary confinement." Gilbert looks at Jimmy through the mirror.
"Okay, all this talk is makin' me nervous, could we change the subject?" Becky asks, with a grimace.
"What else could we possibly talk about?" Jimmy asks.
"Oh, I think I've got some ideas..." Gilbert announces, pulling the truck to a stop. He looks back at Jimmy and Becky, and then at me. "Anyone bring a road map?"

"Okay, I've tried calling every nearby shop but no-one has answered." Becky says, shrugging. "Do you have the correct area-code?" Jimmy asks, raising an eyebrow, and Becky appears from inside the telephone booth, frowning. "My grandma used to take me here all the time when I was younger."
"Oh, I feel like an idiot now." Jimmy slumps back down in his seat. I chuckle at him.
Gilbert stomps back to the car. "There were no maps or anything in the trunk." He huffs, opening the glove compartment.
"I'll help you look." Jimmy climbs into the front and sits in the driver's seat, as they both rummage through the car.

*rustle*

I glance out into the woods, watching as a squirrel runs up a tall tree.

*rustle* *rustle rustle*

As curiosity takes over, I hop out of the car and walk straight into the woods.
There are more squirrels, running about in the crunchy brown leaves. I smile, kneeling down next to one eating a pinecone. As soon as it sees me, it darts off, clutching tightly to its meal.
I wander further on, following the little squirrel. He runs swiftly through the trees, and stops by a river bank.
I sit on the grassy river bank, looking up into the sky, watching leaves drift onto the ground.

*RUSTLE*

I stand in fright, having assumed the rustling was just the squirrels.
My eyes nearly pop out their sockets as a man dressed in filthy clothing it's holes and cuts and bruises all over emerges from the trees. A man I know as Uncle Richard.
Behind him, a less threatening, more idiotic looking adventurer peers around in oblivion.

Richard darts toward me, before my legs can move, he has me by the neck and is hoisting me against a tree.
I struggle and kick, but nothing frees me from his firm grip.
"Help!" I scream, suddenly realising I can't scream loud anymore because his hand is over my throat.
His frown deepens, as he pulls something from his pocket.
"Gilbert! Ji-" I stop, as he reveals a shiny silver pistol, and holds it to my head.
One corner of his mouth lifts into a grin.
I feel myself begin to breathe heavily, and tears of shock melt down my flushed cheeks.
I daren't scream again, or I'll be shot.
"What do you want?" I ask through pants.
Richard's friend leans against a tall tree, spinning a pistol much the same around his index finger.
"Tell me." He says, as I look between him and his clueless prison buddy.
I frown, "Tell you what?"
"Tell me who knows you fucking imbecile!" He shouts, glaring right in my face.
I press my lips together, shaking my head vigorously.
"No." I whisper.
"TELL ME!" He smacks the gun right to my head.
"No, you can kill me but you won't kill them." I stand my ground, readying myself for my seemingly inevitable-without-miracle death.
"TELL ME IMMEDIATELY!" Richard's face is so close now I can practically taste his sweat.
I wait for the right moment, watching as his friend looks away into the distance.
"NO!" I scream, lifting my legs up and kicking him in the stomach as hard as I possibly can, he groans in pain.

*BANG*

I look down, to see my leg covered in blood.
My head falls back against the rough tree bark, and I blink a couple times, desperately trying to see clearly.
My eyes flick over to Richard's friend, and then I squint hard, as I see a moving figure behind him.
Jimmy grabs the gun off of Richard's friend, and leaps out from hiding, tackling Richard to the ground.
After a couple of punches are thrown, Jimmy stands, keeping his foot placed on Richard's chest.
Jimmy points the gun at Richard's friend.
"TELL ME SHE'S OKAY OR I'LL KILL HIM." Jimmy yells into Richard's face.
The friend realises what situation he's been put into, and flees.
I hear the faint sound of crackling leaves off in the distance, and Jimmy smiles.
"Looks like it's just you and me, old man." Jimmy looks up, shaking his head. "Throughout my life, all I ever wanted to be was anything but you." Jimmy says, laughing in disbelief.
"And now here I am, in control of your fate, whether you live or die, and yet, I still haven't chosen, you know why? Because I know that if I were to pull this trigger right now, I'd become the one thing I swore I'd never be." Jimmy squints.
I frown, as Richard's hand moves down to his pocket.
Jimmy looks into his father's eyes, "You."

*BANG*

My jaw drops, as Jimmy falls to the ground and the pistol goes flying.
I watch as it lands in the long grass, just inches from me.
I use all the energy I can muster to reach out and grab that thing, and aim it at Richard's head.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." I whisper to anyone, anything, for forgiveness for what I'm about to do.

*BANG*

Richard falls to the ground, and my shaky hands drop the pistol, and I start to sob hysterically.
"I'M SORRY!" I scream, "I'M SORRY!"
I drag my frail body over to where Jimmy lays, and rest my head on his wounded chest.
"No, no, no, no, no, no." I shake my head, pushing my hands hard against the bullet wound.
"NO!" I cry out in pain, taking my hands away, and crying at the sight of what has come off on them.
"No, this can't be happening, THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING!" I scream, until a hand touches mine.
"Shhh," Jimmy whispers. "It's okay." He smiles.
I put his hand up to my cheek, closing my eyes and gently weeping against it.
"It's not your fault." He says, trembling as he strokes my wet cheek.
I open my eyes. "What?"
"It was never your fault, you deserve happiness." He says in his croaky voice.
"I'll always be with you, I'll always be your family." His words slur, but he continues to talk.
"I'll always love you like a sister, and I'll always love you...."
His eyes shut, and I lean against his chest, gripping onto his hand, which slowly closes around mine.
His pulse slows down, and his breath becomes shaky and I clutch onto him tighter.
Gradually, his body gives in, his chest stops rising and his heart gives its last beat.

"Janie! Oh my god!" I hear Becky say.
Moments later she's beside me, wrapping me in a blanket, as I slowly blink at her.
I look behind her and see Gilbert talking to some police officers.
"When....did...they.....get...here....?" I murmur, feeling very tired.
"We called them as soon as we heard the first gun shot. We were so worried, we couldn't find you and-" Becky goes silent as soon as she sees Jimmy.
She covers her mouth, and begins to cry. "I'm so sorry." She whispers in shock.

Gilbert approaches. "I'll take her in, have you called the others?" He says to Becky.
"No, I'll do that now." She replies, standing and dashing off, back to the car.
Two large arms scoop me up from underneath.
"No!" I start to complain. "Don't make me leave him!" I attempt to struggle, soon realising I'm exhausted.
"Don't waste your energy, he's alright, he's with the stars now." Gilbert says, peeling damp strands of hair from my face.

Gilbert walks over to a large white van, with double doors at the back.
He gently lays me down on some sort of soft surface, and then talks to a woman beside him.
"We'll take here downtown, she needs emergency medical help, what did you say your name and relation was?" The woman asks, holding a clipboard.
"Gilbert Grape, I'm her brother." Gilbert says.
I lift my head, to look at Gilbert. He makes eye contact with me, and then the big doors shut and I'm being driven away.