Remission [H.S. MATURE AU]

20.

"Listen to them, Scarlett..." Alice whispers, completely terrified in front of my loaded gun, and it only makes me want to pull the trigger more.

"She killed my baby!" I scream at all of them, trying to justify my need for revenge and the hate I feel in my chest toward this woman. A hate so strong that is eating me alive and I'm still sure that this is the only way to stop it.

"Yes, and you're obviously hurting but if you shoot her she wins," Harry tells me and for a second I have to bring my eyes on him, to make sure that the words really had come from him. "Don't let her have the power to destroy your life a second time, Scar." I think about his words, about how he's begging me to put the gun down. I could pull this trigger, she would be dead and I'd have my revenge and after that, I'd spend the rest of my life behind bars. I could pull the trigger and let the always growing hate inside of my chest eating me alive, once and for all. I could let it devour me or I could put it down and see her living the rest of her life behind bars. The truth is that I've already embarked on a journey of revenge and the first time should be enough of a lesson.

I take a deep breath and then I let my arms fall down my body, hearing Alice breathing a sigh of relief. Before I can fall down on my knees, my father quickly wraps his arms around me and holds me against his chest.

"It's over... it's all over!" She holds me tight and caresses my head, while I cry against his chest, letting everything I have inside go, or at least I try to. I don't know if I'm going to regret my decision, but I don't right now, as I watch Wes handcuffing her and bringing her away. I feel lighter and maybe that's positive.

*

"You scared the shit out of me, Scar!" My mother sobs, as soon as she sees me coming back home safe and sound. She wraps her arms around me and holds me tight against her. On the ride back home, I've managed to calm down and things are starting to feel slowly better. I'm not going to forgive but I feel better about myself without that accumulation of hate and rage condensed inside of my chest. It feels better not to be mad all the time and maybe that's what I need to start living my life again.

"I'm sorry mom..." I sigh and lightly smile at her, once she manages to let me go. I walk inside with my father and Harry, that wanted to make sure I was ok. My mother drags me to the kitchen and immediately fills up my hand with a fuming cup of chocolate.

"Sugar can be a great cure-all!" My mother smiles, caressing my cheek with the back of her fingers. "Fuck tea!" I giggle at her words, just feeling simply happy to be back home with her. I sip on my chocolate, while she starts prancing around the kitchen again.

"I'm gonna cook you your favorite meal!" She tells me, trying to take out a million different things from the fridge and the food storage.

"I'll tell Harry goodbye and I'll come to help you!" I rest the cup on the kitchen counter, before walking out of the kitchen. Once I leave the room, I hear my father talking to Harry.

"I wanted to thank you for what you did today!" He says, clearly referring to Harry's words and how much they've helped me realize what I was doing. "You did a great job!" He adds, with a tight smile and gives him a pat on the shoulder.

"Thank you!" Harry says. Before my father can add anything else, he notices me staring at them and Harry quickly does too. He turns toward me and observes me, so I decide to walk toward them.

"Do you feel better?" He asks me again and I just nod my head with a smile.

"Yeah... I'll help mom in the kitchen and I'll feel even better." I giggle and he does too. "If you have to go, you can. Don't worry about me!" He smiles and then he takes a step toward me to kiss my forehead as he always does before leaving.