𝑯𝑰𝑴 - Chase Graves

eighteen.

18|RENEGADE

"What kind of justice can there be if we're living in a dictatorship now?" Liv questioned as she leaned back against the metal table Winter was sat on. The two women watching as Ravi attempted to play hockey in the morgue. "What we do, solve crimes, why bother?"

"Blaine will answer for his crimes some day, one way or another." Ravi took out his mouth guard and reassured the pale haired zombie. "I have to believe that."

"I wish I shared your optimism." Liv sighed, leaning down to tackle Ravi with her hockey stick.

"Peyton, what's wrong?" Winter asked as she noticed the acting mayor rush into the room.

"Liv." Peyton ran up to her roommate. "Fillmore-Graves is gonna use that stupid guillotine. They're gonna execute that human smuggler. They didn't even announce it. They're ashamed of it. Which they should be."

"I told him not to do it." Winter growled, jumping off the table to stand beside her cousin. "I told him it would cause more damage than order."

"You knew!" Liv demanded, turning to face her cousin with a look of disbelief.

"Yes but I didn't think he would go through with it. He has been torn about what he needs to do." The ebony haired zombie took in a deep breath before facing the two women. "We need to go. This isn't him."

"Fillmore-Graves takes no joy in this act." Chase began his speech, addressing the crowd as he stood behind the microphone. "But this is a new world. The laws we've enacted are essential to ensuring our place within it. Penalties for breaking these laws are necessarily severe. Any action that endangers our survival cannot be tolerated. There are those outside our walls who want to destroy us. And there are those in our city working toward that same end. We will show the world that human and zombies can co-exist. Our survival depends on it."

"Let me through." Liv pushed her way through the crowd, the other three trailing behind her. The crowd were screaming indistinctly, some wanting her alive, others wanting her dead.

"He can't do this." Winter sobbed, falling back to lean on Ravi as his hands held her arms to stable her. "This isn't right. He is signing his death wish."

"The smuggling of humans into Seattle, and creation of new zombies, stops today." Chase finished his speech causing the two guards stood beside the Renegade to drag her to the guillotine.

Winter ran forwards, grabbing her cousin and pulling her back slightly as a guard drew his gun on her. Her eyes met Chase's and she saw his sadness, his battle between doing what's right and keeping the law alive.

"Liv." Winter helped the zombie as she stumbled. "Don't get yourself killed."

"Chase!" The ebony haired woman ran after her fiance, grabbing his arm to stop him walking. "We need to talk."

"Not now, Winter." He ripped his arm out her grasp and continues to his office but she followed after him.

"I don't care! I'm worried about you." She slammed his office door behind her and grabbed his arm again, spinning him around.

"Don't be!" Chase yelled back, stepping away from her. "This is none of your concern!"

"We are getting married soon, everything about you is my concern." Winter screamed, pushing him back against his own desk. "If something is wrong, please tell me."

"Winter..." Chase trailed off quietly, pulling the woman infront of him into a tight embrace. His hand stroked her hair while he buried his head in her neck. "I'm so scared."

"So am I." She mumbled, listening to his off beat heart. "But we can do this, together."

"I had to do it."

"I know."

~•~

"I'm barely gone for a day and everything happens." Winter laughed as she sat down on the sofa between Ravi and Major. "Liv tanned and dyed, Ravi became a heroin addict, Major got cuter and Peyton made someone happy."

"What happened to you?" Peyton asked, sipping at her gin and tonic.

"My fiance is going to die." She shrugged, noticing how the room went silent. "I'm worried, overthinking like always."

"Winter." Major hummed, wrapping an arm over her shoulders and cuddling her close. "He will be fine, I promise."

"Let's have a slumber party, that always cheers you up." Liv smiled at her cousin refilling her wine glass.

"Really?" Winter perked up instantly, wide eyes darting to see everyones reactions.

"Yeah, come on Ravi let's ho get our mattresses." Major tapped the mans arm and dragged him upstairs. The three women made there way into the kitchen, Liv and Winter making some zombie and human snacks while Peyton grabbed glasses and bottles of beer, wine and Jack Daniel's.

"We are ready!" Ravi called out from the living room, causing the three women to enter, laughing at the blanket fort and cheesy rom-com on the television.

"You guys are the best friends I could ever ask for!" Winter teared up and hugged everyone closely. "Thank you."

"Anytime."