Babette's Story (Lawless Fanfic)

Chapter 32: There's Nothing You Can Say

"What's that s'pose to mean?" He eyed me skeptically.

I shook my head staring down at my feet. "Nothing. It means nothing Forrest." This was not the time for this discussion.

"What 'chu mean by that? You left before that happened." He looked at me through hooded eyes but I made no attempt to make eye contact with him. "You came back that night?"

"Does it matter Forrest? It happened, you dealt with those men and now its over. There's no reason to bring up old news." I said, my eyes looking everywhere else around the room.

"Were they here when you came back?" He wasn't gonna let this go.

"It doesn't mat-" He cut me off.

"It does." He said almost too calmly.

"It doesn't. Me and Ang came back and found you in a pool of your own blood. Dyin' Forrest. We dropped you off at the hospital, but they were too scared to stick around so we left you there alone. Guess that puts a damper on your god damn legend." I spat out sarcastically.

"Who's they?" My eyebrows furrowed and I realized my mistake. I started to try to explain myself but he spoke again. "You said 'They' were too scared. So who else was there?" I stared at him, my eyes welling up with fresh tears. "Maggie came back?"

I knew he wasn't going to leave it be. "She never left Forrest." I whispered. "Or at least she never got the chance to leave." His eyes flashed with fury needing no further explanation to know what had happened. He started moving double time around the room. Placing his revolver in the back of his pants, and putting extra rounds into his sweater pockets. I began to follow him out of our room, when he stopped abruptly at the bottom of the steps. He blocked me from going any further.

"Hey Eli, ya mind staying back? Keep your sister from doing something stupid?" My eyes grew wide. He was treating me like a child.

"Trust me Eli you don't need to do that. I'm goin' out with you boys to get my daughter back." Eli was about to protest but Richie beat him too.

"No the fuck you ain't! You got no business being out there, Baps." He was leaning on the wall by the screen door.

"I have every right to be there!" I said my voice growing thick from unshed tears and frustration. I tried to push pass Forrest' massive frame but he wouldn't budge. In a split second I was up and over Forrest' shoulder, being carried right back to our room. I pounded on his back and yelled at him to put me down- which fell upon deaf ears. He tossed me on to the bed and in a matter of seconds I was up and beating on his chest in anger.

"I'm not staying back! I'm going to get my baby girl!" I shouted as I kept swinging at his chest. He just stood there. Never raising a hand. Never pushing me away or grabbing my hands to stop the abuse. He just took it. I could feel myself getting tired and weak from screaming and from hitting Forrest. My knees started to buckle when suddenly I was pulled into his chest tightly. I lost it. The little bit of composure that I had in this situation was gone. I sobbed inconsolably into Forrest' chest. One of his hands tangled in my hair while his other arm was wrapped around my lower back supporting me.

"I'm gon' get her back.... I promise." There was something different in the tone of his voice. It didn't hold that sense of authority that he usually held. It was broken. He was trying to be strong for me, but he could barely keep it together either. His body shuddered.

"I-I-I-I d-don't think I-I can go on without her Forrest." I cried out. "Not my baby Forrest. Not my Baby. Not my..." My voice was caught in my throat. No sound came out. My head just swayed back and forth trying to catch my breath. My knees gave out and Forrest was just as quick to place me slowly on our bed. A couple of sobs escaped my mouth and then it was silent. My body grew still. I stared off into nothing. I was in shock. Forrest was on his knee in front of me. I could feel his intense worried eyes on me.

I was in a trance. "She's my heart Forrest." I whispered hoarsely. "How can I go on without my heart." I finally stared him in his eyes. They were glassy. His eyes held all the pain that I just showed. I reached for his cheek, stroking it gently with my thumb. He grabbed my hand kissing my palm before he rose to his feet.

"We got enough on our plate to have to worry 'bout ya too" He sighed heavily. "Stay put... for me." He pleaded. I bit my bottom lip trying to keep the new tears from spilling and just gave him a swift nod. He grabbed the back of my head and placed a long kiss on my forehead that spoke volumes. It said everything that neither one of us could put into words at the moment. I shut my eyes and then his kiss was gone.

"Forrest?" I called as I opened my eyes. He stopped at the threshold of our room, but never turned around. "Kill'em" I said through gritted teeth. He said nothing about what I said and continued down to his family, who were waiting to go on a man hunt for Deputy Rakes.

Forrest stopped at the top of the porch steps where Eli stood. They stood shoulder to shoulder. Eli spoke first. "She okay?" He asked worriedly.

"She's calm now." Was all Forrest could think of to say. Forrest then looked behind his shoulder seeing a scared Maggie by the bar. "Keep an eye on them both of'em." He gave a nod to the diner behind him. Eli assured Forrest that he would. With that Forrest loaded into the truck with his brothers. He offered no words to the men but instead said a silent prayer for the safety of his little girl.