A/N;
*mentions of rape/sexual assault and suicide in this chapter*
Chapter 4 - Tattooed man
*POV ~ LUNA*
*while the boys were getting Minho*
I ran up flights of stairs with one thought in my mind; I need Aelia back. I couldn't live without that girl and everyone new that. She knew how to calm my anxiety down, she knew how to make me laugh and she knew how to make me feel happy. Not that Newt couldn't go all those things it's just I've known the brunette all my life and I can't loose her, I've already lost so much.
I made it to her locked room and I didn't hesitate to scan the key card I stole from a dead guard which I'm sure was Thomas and Newt's doing.
When I entered the room I covered my mouth to muffle my gasp. There she was on a hospital bed with restrains on both her wrists, stomach and ankles. I saw that her eyes were open with fear at who might have entered and that broke my heart.
'Lia, hey it's only me.' I whispered as I started to untie her.
'Andrew's, am I dreaming?' Her voice was raspy and I was just glad that were was water bottles in this secluded room.
'Do you want me to hit you to find out?' I joked as I helped her sit up. She didn't waste anytime in crying into the crook of my neck.
'Hey it's okay, I'm here and I'm never letting you go again. I promise Lia.' I spoke in a stern yet soft tone.
'We need to go Lu, they'll find you.'
'Well get of your arse and follow me.' I smirked whilst I slug one of her skinny arms around my shoulder and dragged her out of the room.
We ran at a slow pace until I saw the one person I didn't want to see; Ava Fucking Paige. If looks could kill that so called doctor would be six feet under by now. I didn't want to waste any more time so I pulled me and Aelia into the room which I knew held the equipment I needed.
Not a moment later I kicked a metal table in front of the door for more safety and then rummaged through all the stuff, roughly putting the things I want in my pockets. Now all I needed to do was draw some blood and combine the liquids together.
I must have been in my thoughts for too long because I didn't hear the drilling sound come from the other side of the door.
'Andrews's, what the fuck do we do?' My brunette best friend asked but when my eyes met the glass window I couldn't stop the smirk that rested on my cracked lips.
'Are you afraid of heights?' I quizzed before I throw a fire extinguisher at the window causing it to smash.
'Are you fucking mental?' She shouted.
'Lia, do you trust me?' She nodded her head and that was all I needed before I grabbed her hand and jumped off the edge.
I felt a sense of déjà vu at remembering when we were in that abandoned mall the the scorch trials and when we had to jump off the level because cranks were chasing us.
Being in my mind for too long I didn't know we landed in the water until the cold liquid hugged my adrenaline filled body. I let go of my best friend's hand when I bobbed out of the water I didn't think twice before pushing my now drenched hair out of my face.
'Andrew's look!' Aelia whispered and pointed to four figures who were standing stationary while staring at us.
I let out the biggest gasp and didn't wait to drag the brunette girl towards the side where the boys helped us out.
After we're reunited with everyone we had to split up again. Me and the blonde said our ''I love you's'' and separated. I slung Aelia's arm around me again and walked over to a abandoned room where I gently placed the girl down and started working.
I emptied out my pockets and took out a knife I stole. Without thinking I slit my palm and squeezed the blood into a test tube until the crimson colour filled a quarter off the container. My next step was to mix these two mixtures together before I added them to my blood, so that's what I did. When the two liquids were combined with each other they created this persian blue colour. I stared in awe at it for a split second before pouring it into the test tube that had my blood in. I had to leave it to do it's thing for one minute before I could put the new mixture into a syringe so I decided to catch up with the brunette while I waited.
'I'm so sorry Lia, it's my fault they did that to you.' I voiced into the quietness that lingered over us.
'Don't be a stupid bitch, it's not your fault. Thank you though, for saving me Andrew's.' But suddenly a thunderous explosion filled the calm quietness causing us both to jump out off our skin.
After one more minute (just for good luck) I poured the royal ruby purple liquid into the syringe and gently secured it in my left arm pocket.
With that being finished I picked up Aelia and we headed towards the tunnels which Brenda informed me to go to.
With the on going bombs and riots taking place, me and the brunette had to duck and hide once every two minutes to make sure that we didn't get injured and that we didn't get caught.
We scrambled around the the city for another five minutes until I heard two familiar voices shouting. I swiftly changed the direction we were going in so I could see if I was right.
'Tommy, kill me.' With hearing that comment Aelia gathered up the strength to run behind me on her own at a quicker pace.
We turned one corner and we were met with a crank looking Newt thrashing his knife at a scared looking Thomas. I stared in disbelief and shock but I was soon brought out of it by Aelia getting the serum out of my pocket and handing it to me. With one more push from my best friend I raced up behind Newt so he couldn't see me.
It only took the old runner a moment to notice my presence and when he did his brown eyes glistened with relief. Just as the blonde crank was going to stab either himself or Thomas, I injected the cure into his neck and he stopped right in his tracks.
A second later he fell into my arms whilst his breathing started slowed down. Tom and Aelia knelt down beside us just hoping that the serum had worked.
'Lu?' The panting boy whispered as he craned his veiny neck to look at me.
'Blondie you're okay, everything's going to be okay.' I copied his tone as I placed a kiss on his cheek.
We sat like this for around one minute before I felt the blonde untense and when I lifted my head I saw the black veins which decorated his face start to loose their colour. It worked, it's actually fucking worked!
'You did it Luna, you bloody saved me.' Newt laughed in disbelief before engulfed me in a hug.
'Andrew's? What the fucking hell are you doing here?' I heard a deep familiar voice shout from afar and when I met the man's eyes a smile appeared on my lips.
'Riley!' I screeched before running up to the tattooed man.
'I thought you were for sure dead, you're such an idiot Luna.' He joked after he separated us but he held onto my shoulders as if I were going to vanish.
Out of the corner of my hazel eyes I saw Gally, Frypan, Brenda and Minho appear and they didn't waste any time in checking on Newt.
'Come with me Ley, come with me to the Safe Haven.' I begged as a tear fell onto my freckled skin.
'How can I say no to that?' The dark skinned man teased before I heard voice that I haven't heard in around a year.
'You just think you're so fucking perfect don't you Luna?' Riley let go of me and we both faced the blonde girl who held up a gun aiming it towards me.
'Abby?' My jaw fell to the floor at seeing her.
Abby was the sister of Kyle. I found out that she was the one to told him to rape me because she said it might 'weaken' my mind. I found out that she kidnapped my family because it was supposed to 'weaken' my mind. She was person who made my suffer and she was the person who looked like she was going to end my life.
'Who the shuck is this shank?' I heard someone say from behind me.
'You've got it all, don't you Lune?' The nickname made me physically gag.
'You've got a boyfriend, a best friend, a group of people who you would call family. You've done well.' The blonde haired girl's laugh was filled with insanity.
'You forgot about me. You forgot what I did to you and you started you're pretty little life again. Well guess what? I hope it was fun while it lasted.' And like that a bullet glided through the warm air and shut my eyes just waiting for the pain but it never came.
Instead I felt a pair of hands push me away and when I opened my hazel eyes a waterfall of salty tears left them. Riley took the bullet.
'NO! Riley!' But before I could go over to his body I was being tackled onto the ground.
Abby was now straddling me and she held my wrists together with one hand while she pointed a gun to my forehead with the other.
'Abby no!' Aelia screamed but was soon interrupted.
'Come near us and I'll shoot you all!' The insane blonde spat as she shot into the air to prove her point.
'Who is this slinthead?' Minho asked into the eerie silence that smothered us.
I heard Aelia explain to the others who she was and we fell into quietness again as the blonde darted her blue eyes across my freckled face.
'You hurt me Lune, you left me.' She said and it was my turn to let out a humourless laugh which I knew would anger the girl.
'I left you? Is your fucking mind okay Ab?' I threw her nickname right back at her.
'I wouldn't do that to someone who's about to kill you!' She spat her disgusting spit in my face.
'Abby please don't!' Aelia cried which made an inhumane giggle come from the girl. Fucking psycho.
'She's no use to you anyway, she's just a pathetic slut who my brother slept with.' Her blue eyes glistened and I knew now that all her sanity had disappeared.
'Slept with, are you shitting me? Kyle fucking raped me you bitch.' I shouted as I struggled to get out of her grasp. I'll give it to her, she's strong.
'You were asking for it hunny, you thought you were so perfect and you needed to be taught a lesson. That and I was saving you from WICKED! I tried to weaken your brain, that's why I got you raped! That's why I took your family! I did it for you Lune!' The blonde screamed with her face inches from mine.
While all this was happening, fires were burning, citizens were running from danger and Lawrence's group kept on bombing the city. It was quite cinematic, in a disturbing way.
'Ab's I think you've officially lost the fucking plot! Don't bullshit me that you did all those things to help me! I tried to kill myself because I wanted to be free! I wanted to be somewhere nice where I thought my god damn family was because you took them! Don't you dare say that you did it for me Abby.' I spat right back on her pale face before she flicked the safety switch off and pressed the gun harder into my sweating forehead.
'No, Lulu!'
'Luna!'
'I swear to god I'm going to fucking kill you Lune!' Abby said through her teeth.
'Kill me then! Pull the fucking trigger! You've already taken everything away from me. You took my innocence, you took me family and you took my freedom so why not finish it off and take my fucking life!' I demanded with no fear as I looked right into her blue eyes. If I were to die tonight then so be it, at least my friends will get to live.
'You just think you're so perfect!'
'Fucking kill me then!' My voiced screamed as a sudden shock wave of strength and adrenaline swam through my body.
I took my wrists out of her grasp and kicked her in the stomach before I pushed her to the ground so I was now straddling her with my knees holding her arms down by her side. Oh how the tables have turned bitch.
'You took everything from me Ab's. I trusted you, I choose you! You don't know how much I want to see a bullet in your head, but I'm not you.' I snarled in her face as I held the gun to her head. I saw tears in her eyes and I felt them leave mine.
'I know you have a family, I know you have a life. I know you have a god damn future. If you ever get involved with me ever again I swear to god Abby I'll fucking kill you!' I hissed whilst pushing the weapon further into her head with the safety switch off.
'You're too much of a coward to kill me, you fucking slut.' The girl under me let out an eerie humourless chuckle which sent a spider like shiver down my spine.
'K-Kill her . . . Andrew's.' I heard a whisper from beside and when I turned my neck I saw that Riley was still alive. But for how long?
'What is wrong with you, no like seriously what the fuck is wrong with you? I'm giving you a second chance after all the shit you pulled and you still can't shut your fucking mouth!' I slapped her across the face as hard as I could and I heard the whimper that left her lips. Good.
'I did all off that for you but you weren't grateful. You're an attention whore, Lune. Always have been and always will be.' The blue eyed girl laughed a horrible sound.
'Go to hell Abby.' I said with no emotion before I punched her temple with the back of the gun.
I did that two times until I saw crimson blood fall down her face. When I looked at her eyes they were shut and I knew she was unconscious. Should have just killed her.
I didn't waste anymore time in jumping up and running to my godfather. I lifted him so he was leaning against a small wall and I knelt beside him keeping his head up.
I heard the footsteps of my friends echo in the air but they stopped a few feet behind me letting me have this moment. I felt a sense of déjà vu come at me like a truck at remembering my family's goodbye.
'Ley, stay with me! You can't leave me too, please don't leave my like they did.' I cried into the crook of his tattooed neck as he weakly wrapped his arms around my waist.
'Shh, it's okay Andrew's. I'm going to a better place.' The man hushed me whilst stroking my still wet red head.
'No Riley please, I can't loose you as well!' I was literally begging for a miracle that I knew wouldn't come.
'You know you are like a daughter to me. Now don't tell Seren or Dillon but you were always my favourite.' The dark skinned man stated which made me chuckle as I let go of our embrace and cupped his face with my small bloody hands.
'D-Do you want to know what . . . my tattoo for you . . means?' Riley asked me with a smile and all I could do was nod my head.
'It's the moon reflecting onto the waves Andrew's. The moon b-because it's you're name and the . . . waves because the beach is your favourite place.' I couldn't hold my warm tears in anymore and Riley noticed that and wiped them with his big hands.
'R-Remember when I taught you to . . swim?' I smiled at the memory.
Riley had moved with us to America and he had a pool in his garden. I have always been fascinated by the water and he knew that, that's why he got that house. One night while my family went out to my brother's art presentation, Riley offered to teach me to swim. He told me not to be afraid and that he would bring me up if I needed it. I trust that man with all I have so I jumped in and it only took two hours to teach me the basics on how to properly swim. This become a weekly thing and by the end of month two I was a pro. Riley and me had a photo album together and after each lesson we would take an underwater picture and add it to our collection. God I wish I had that album.
'You were an amazing teacher Ley.' I joked.
'O-Oh I know.' He said as he panted for air and I knew he only had a good minute left.
'Please stay with me Riley!' I sobbed.
'Hey we'll meet again Andrew's. I'll tell your family hi unless I'll be in hell, then I'll wait for you.' The tattooed man teased before he gently kissed me forehead.
'I love you Ley.' The on going stream of tears never stopped, in fact they quickened.
'I love you . . . Andrew's.' And just like that Riley took his last breath before his head fell to the side.
'No! Come back!' I screamed as I held his colourless face and stared into his dead eyes.
'Luna we need to go!' Brenda announced.
'No, I can't leave him!'
'Lu, please come!' Newt begged and I felt his hand place itself on my lower back.
I knew I couldn't persuade them to let me stay so I lifted my left hand up and gently closed my godfathers eyes so he could rest easy. See you soon Riley.
I felt multiple arms bring me to a standing position but out of the corner of my bloodshot eyes I saw Thomas run of into what was left of the WICKED building. You didn't have to be a genius to know what he was trying to do; he was going to kill Ava Paige.
The others guided me onto the Berg where we met up with Jorge and Vince. My family friend saw my state and didn't wait a second to engulf me in a hug. Brenda explained what had happened and that we need to get the brunette boy.
Jorge started up the Berg and flew it over to where we saw two figures slowly making their way to us. I was in front of everyone as the hatch fully opened. I saw the burning building that the two were standing on and if they didn't hurry up they weren't going to make it. My hazel eyes drifted down to a spot on Thomas's stomach and I knew he had been shot. Fuck.
Aelia and Minho were beside me and we all shouted at them to hurry up. Skyscraper's were collapsing left right and centre and the building we were above was slowly loosing its sturdiness. Teresa must have noticed this as well because I saw her gather up all her strength and push Thomas so his hand connected with Minho's and we all helped the asain pull the brunette up.
I couldn't tear my gaze away from the raven haired girl and she kept her blue eyes on me as well. We both knew the building would fall down at second and I knew what I had to do.
Once I saw that Thomas was safely on the Berg, I stood up and pushed everyone out the way. I saw as all their faces contort into a confused expression.
I stepped a few paces back and shouted my last's words out for them to follow. I hoped they followed them anyway.
'Oh for fuck sake. Grab my ankles!' And with that I dove of the Berg just as the building collapsed and I was fortunate enough to grab ahold off Teresa's hand just in time.
Luckily for me my friends listened to my request and I felt hands grab my legs and ankles as they slowly started to bring us up.
I kept my eyes locked with her piercing blue ones and they glistened with gratefulness. Since both our hands were sweaty I had to use my other one to make she doesn't fall to her death.
After a few more unbearable moments, more people gripped onto my waist as they finally lifted me up whilst I pulled the raven haired girl with me.
Once we were finally leaning against the Berg's walls, Teresa wrapped me in a hug and started crying into my chest. It took me a few seconds to recognise her actions but once I did I let my arms go around her shoulders.
I don't know why but I couldn't let her die, I mean if I was willing to give Abby another chance I would have to give Teresa a second one as well. In addition I couldn't watch another person die in front of me, my mind wouldn't be able to cope with the haunting images of watching them take their last breath.
We stayed in each other's embrace before I let her go and stared at my friends faces. Vince, Jorge and Brenda looked shocked. Frypan, Newt and Minho looked dumbfounded while Thomas looked grateful before he quickly passed out from blood loss. I couldn't see Aelia until I slowly stood up and when I met her eyes she gave me a small smile before running up to me and bringing me into a hug.
We both fell to the floor and sat on our knees as we grieved the death of Riley Jones. Aelia was close with him as well. Once a month we would go to his and watch the stars as we sat in the pool while a movie was playing on a projector.
We stayed like this until I came out of the embrace and sat in a corner just going over what had happened in the past hour.
I was thankful that no one else came up to me as I needed time with my thoughts. I brought my knees up to my chest and let my head fall into the gap. I allowed my mind drift to the tattooed man.
I was more shocked about his death then my parents because he died for me; he risked his life for me and I watched as he took his last breath.
I always looked up to that tattooed man, he was the person that told me to take no shit from anyone. He was the only adult I told about that night and when I looked in his eyes they were full of rage. He stayed with me and Aelia the night of my confession to make me feel safe.
I will never forget his lasts words. He deserved to stay in the Safe Haven, he put every one else before him. Riley was a good man, no Riley was an incredible man. I always pictured him marrying a tanned brunette girl on a beach with him wearing a black tuxedo with his top two buttons undone showing everyone his well done ink. Riley always said that each of his tattoos had a meaning and when he explained the one he got on his hand, I felt my heart swell.
I know this might be bad to say but I think I was closer to Riley then my own dad. Don't get me wrong I loved my dad but he was always working so Riley would come over. He was the one who taught me how to braid my hair, he taught me how to stand up for myself and he taught me how to read when my mother and father went away for a business trip. I understand now that all my parents ever wanted for me and my siblings was a safe home and I get why they were never around as much as I would have liked.
My sister's passion was ballet, my brothers was art whilst mine was swimming and figure skating. I never went to any competitions or stuff like that for my ice skating because I was too nervous but my siblings were the opposite. Dillon entered competitions with his art while Seren did ballet shows. This meant that whenever my parents when out to see them do their hobbies, Riley would come over and babysit me. Yes I did go to most for their presentations or recitals but once in a while I just got tired so I was allowed to stay home.
I will never forget seeing his lifeless body on the floor in a puddle off his own crimson blood. I should have killed her for murdering him; why didn't I kill her?
I just got him back in my life and now he's gone, just like the rest of my family. I've lost every blood related person and I don't think my mind has caught up with that. I know I am in some sort of shock because I've been in shock before when my sister got diagnosed with cancer; she's a strong girl though and she beat that son of a bitch.
That was why Seren was so fascinated with being a hair dresser. When her hair started to fall out she made a promise that when she's old enough she would open up a shop for people who went through what she did and she would make them the best wigs and give them the best hair styles. When she first told me that I cried myself to sleep, I couldn't begin to imagine what it was like for Seren; she was only six. My little sister is the bravest human I know and I will always admire her for that.
I stayed in this sitting position for around thirty minutes before I felt warm and familiar finger go under my chin to lift my head up.
'Lu, Vince wants to get you checked out.'
••••••••••••••
A/N;
I wanted to add a twist at saving Teresa so please let me know your thoughts on it.
Also I couldn't kill off Newt because I couldn't write his death, so he lives!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter (I mean as much as you could)