All is Found

46

Once I had the idea of the song down I thanked him and he walked us up to the register to purchase Nikki's guitar.

            With Nikki's guitar in hand, Thea and I left the shop. We walked back to her Bronco and Thea opened the back hatch for me to slide the guitar inside. Just as she closed the trunk I heard someone call Thea's name and we both turned around.

            When we turned around we came face to face with a man wearing a face mask holding a pistol pointed at us. We didn't have any time to react before he started to pull the trigger. The masked man shot Thea before she could do anything and then he turned the gun on me. I heard him get a shot off as I rushed him. He was surprised at my actions and didn't have a good enough grip on the gun as I came forward because I was able to knock the gun from his hands.

            The gun fell to the ground and went off again. Just as I located where it fell I heard three more shoots go off. I ducked out of the way and looked back at Thea to find her on the ground holding a gun. I turned back to the masked man and saw him down on the ground. Thea. I turned back to my girlfriend to see her head laid back on the asphalt.

            No. This can't be happening. I stumbled to her and saw her hand pressed into her stomach, blood starting to show between her fingers. I pulled her hand away and unzipped her jacket to find a pool of blood forming. No.

            "Thea, look at me baby." I said and brought my hand up to the back of her neck. Thea's green eyes found mine and I could see her giving up.

            "I got him, you're safe." Thea said and coughed up blood.

            "You did get him babe but I need you to stay awake for me Thea." I said and pulled my cell phone from my pocket with shaky hands and dialed 911.

            "911 What's your emergency?" The operator said.

            "My girlfriend just got shot please send help. I'm in the Music Emporium parking lot. My girlfriend is a cop, a... a sergeant, her name is Themis Ramsey, badge number 5072. Please, please hurry, she is losing a lot of blood." I said and pressed hard into Thea's stomach.

            I didn't even know if they got the information because I dropped the phone and looked at Thea. Her face is getting pale.

            "Ashlyn, listen to me. I never thought I would find love again after Allison, but I did. No matter what happens right now Ashlyn I need you to live for me." Thea said and coughed up more blood.

            "You aren't dying on me Thea, not now, not ever. You need to hold on baby. Help is coming." I said and pressed harder into Thea's stomach.

            As I did I felt a sharp pain in my side and I gasped. Thea noticed right away and started to unzip my jacket. With shaky hands she managed to get it undone and pulled it open. I looked down at my torso and found a red spot coming through my shirt. I got shot? Thea pressed her hand to the spot and I felt the pain again. I guess I got hit trying to get the gun away from him.

            "Ashlyn you need to put pressure on this." Thea said her voice getting weak.

            "No you're more important." I said and pulled her hand away from my side to focus back on her.

            "You need to promise that you will continue on if I don't make it out of this Ashlyn." Thea said and my eyes found her again.

            "I can't make that promise." I answered as tears filled my eyes. I could hear sirens in the distance and I knew that help is almost here. I turned away from Thea and looked behind me to see the flashing lights get closer.

            When I turned back to Thea's face her eyes were closed. No this can't be happening. I looked up a little bit and found The Grim Reaper standing over her.

            "No, you can't take her!" I yelled trying to will the tears out of my eyes so I could see.

            "It's her time Ashlyn, she needs to come with me." The Reaper spoke.

            "Take me, please take me instead. You need to take me." I pleaded.

            Before he could say anything Asher, Ashley and Allison all appeared next to him. If the Reaper knew they appeared he didn't say anything.

            "Ashlyn don't do this, it's not what Thea wanted." Allison spoke first.

            "She can't die, I can't live this life without her." I said starting to feel the effect of my own gunshot wound.

            "We can save her Ashlyn but it comes at a cost." Asher said looking concerned.

            "Please save her, I'll do anything." I said pleading to them.

            "Take my hand child." The Grim Reaper said firmly and held his boney hand out for me to take.

            "If we do this Ashlyn, we can't guarantee your survival. If we do this you won't see us again." Ashley said and knelt down next to Thea and I.

            "Take my hand child and you will be reunited with your siblings and away from this cruel world." The Reaper said.

            "What about Thea?" I asked and looked at the Reaper.

            "Her life would be spared. A soul for a soul." The Reaper said his hand still outstretched.

            "Don't listen to him Ashlyn, we can save her, once we do, you need to fight like hell." Asher said and knelt down next to Ashley.

            "But I won't be able to see you anymore." I said looking at my siblings.

            "Look at how well you have been doing since you came home from treatment Ashlyn, you don't need to see us anymore. Please let us do this for you. Let us save your girl." Ashley said.

            I could feel myself starting to get light headed and black spots started to swim in my vision. I don't know how much longer I can stay upright.

            "Please safe her, I'm so sorry. I love you both so much but please save Thea." I said looking at my siblings.

            "We love you to Ashlyn, we will always watch over you. Thea will live but you need to fight to live Ashlyn. Can you do that?" Asher said and put his hand on Thea's arm.

            "I will." I said and nodded at them as my vision really started to fade.

            "She'll say yes Ashlyn, you just need to stay alive to ask her alright." Allison said and put her hand on my shoulder. I swear it felt like she was here with me.

            "Once I wake up I'm going to ask Thea to marry me." I said and nodded my head.

            "Keep that thought with you Ashlyn and live." Allison said.

            I felt someone shaking my shoulders and I looked up to see scared looking Malia in front of me. Before I could say anything to her my vision finally went black. The pain in my stomach started to fade and so did everything else around me.

A/N: thoughts?
i know this is short but this is how i wanted this scene to take place. the song Ash is writing that she wants to include a banjo on is above, it's called Beautiful Anyway by Judah and the Lion.