The Interview | ✔️

Coming Home

Song for this Chap is "Coming Home" by Dirty Money

Carter's P.O.V

She was finally coming home. She was finally going to be in my arms to have and to hold forever and always. Never, will I ever, let her get hurt like this again.

"You ready to go, babe?" I ask.

"Yea. I think I've got everything," she says.

Walking her to my jeep, I help her get in and put her things in the trunk. Driving to our place, I couldn't help but smile. I finally had her back.

"What are you all smiley about?" Steph asks me.

"I'm happy to have my girl back, that's all," I say, intertwining our fingers and kissing her hand.

"Well, I'm happy to be back with the man I love," she replies, making the smile on my face widen.

"I love you," I say. I really did love her. I love her more than I've ever loved any other woman.

"I love you too," she replies laying her head on my arm. Steph had fallen asleep by the time we had gotten home, and because I didn't want to wake her, I carried her inside.

My mom, dad, Tara, and Brad were all waiting for us back at our place. Since Steph was asleep, I put her in our bed. We were all talking in the living room when we hear a loud scream. Steph. Running up the stairs, I enter our room to see Steph curled up into a ball on our bed.

"Baby? What's wrong?" I ask frantically.

"H-he was r-right there," she says, tears streaming down her face.

"Who baby?" I ask, looking around our room.

"J-joe," she replies. That can't be right, he's still in the hospital.

"Baby, he's still in the hospital. It was just a bad dream, ok?" I say, trying to calm her down.

"It f-felt s-so real though. He-he said he was h-here to f-finish what he st-started," she says. My poor baby. I hate that she's suffering like this. If only I could make it go away.

"I know, baby. I know. Do you want to go back to sleep or do you want to go downstairs? I think it might be good if you eat something," I say.

Shaking her head no, she says, "I'm not hungry. Can you lay here with me until I fall asleep?" she asks.

"Of course, baby," I say, laying down next to her so she could cuddle into my side. As Steph falls asleep, my mom walks in.

"How is she?" she asks in a whispered voice. Shaking my head 'no', my mother knew what that meant and walked back outside. I thought that with Steph waking up, things would be alright. But no, Joe Valente had to ruin our lives. In the back of my mind, I was thinking of grabbing my gun and shooting him. The only thing stopping me was Steph. Me being in prison wouldn't do her any good. Right now, she needed me with her.

"My poor baby," I said, untangling myself from Steph and giving her a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"How is she doing, son?" my dad asks. Tears brimming my eyes, all I could do is shake my head.

"Woah, dude, are you alright?" Brad asks.

"No. Not even close. I knew that things would be different because no one is ever the same after their kidnapped and abused. I just thought that maybe things would be somewhat alright since she would be here with me. But they're not going to be because he ruined her. She's not the same person anymore. And I'm scared as fuck that I'm going to lose her because of it. God, if only I went home with her that night. All of this wouldn't be happening," I say.