𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦
CHAPTER FIVE!
〔 Season one, episode two 〕
𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑪𝑨𝑹 𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑳𝑺 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑪𝑯𝑬𝑫 𝑨𝑺 𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑽𝑰𝑺 𝑺𝑷𝑼𝑵 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑾𝑯𝑬𝑬𝑳 𝑩𝑨𝑹𝑳𝑬𝒀 𝑴𝑰𝑺𝑺𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑨 𝑻𝑹𝑼𝑪𝑲, Madison and Travis both on the phone trying to get in contact with Alicia and Chris. They needed to get them someplace safe untill they figured out what was going on
Nick had one hand placed on the dash steading himself and the other placed across Cassandra preventing her from injuring herself further
Cassandra fiddled with the the radio the words coming through statically
"There's been a massive spike, in the officer-related shootings in the last 48 hours"
"Cass, stop please" Travis told her she dropped her hand but Nick took her place fiddling with the radio
"And people act like this doesn't change everything" "it does. This is a catastrophe of biblical proportions"
"Nick!" Travis yelled
Cassandra wrapped her hand around Nicks arm pulling him back, when Madison's cold fingers touched her forehead turning her head more into her view, Madison's eyes scanned the cut on the brunette's forehead
"We need clean that, it's gonna leave a nasty scar" Madison sighed
"No one's talking about this. No one's saying anything" confusion becoming evident on Nick's face
"We need to get away from the city. We need to get away from people. Just grab Alicia, Liza, Chris and just go untill we know what this thing is."
Cassandra looked down at her hands, her dad. She didn't know what to do, he didn't want to see her anymore but did he know what was going on. Was he sick?
She should warn him at least, give him the chance to run
Madison saw the storm going on in Cassandra's mind, so she wrapped her arm around her shoulders pulling her head to lean on her shoulder
"And her dad" Madison added, making the call for Cassandra. The brunette softly smiled up at the older women but worry shot through Nick, her dad hated him, and he was silent about it — if he was with them it would only be a matter of time before he would force her to leave him
"The desert, its away from everyone and everything" Cassandra soft voice spoke out
"Yeah" Travis mumbled in agreement "It'll be okay there. We'll be safe"
Madison's phone began to ring, the blonde quickly bringing it up to her ear
"Alicia"
Cassandra moved away from Madison as she started to talk on the phone, her fingers fiddling with her own phone as she stared down at her father's number, Nick took her free hand in his own and ran his thumb over her knuckles
"It will be okay" he comforted
"You don't know what happened the last time we spoke Nick. I chose–" she cut herself off, not wanting to put that on Nick.
"Chose what, what happened?" Nick's chocolate orbs staring at hers, worry evident in them, a comforting smile on his face
"I chose you" she whispered "He told me if I went to see you, then don't come back. He kicked me out of the house. Told me he couldn't watch me throw my life away"
Nick's eyes widened, he couldn't believe her father kicked her out and more so he couldn't believe she chose him....and he went looking for more drugs. She chose him over everything and he couldn't even chose her over drugs
"I truly don't deserve you" Nick whispered bringing her into his arms, her head buried into his shoulder
Her father last words echoing in her head, she was naive believing Nick would change but she loved him anyway
"Just stay away from Matt untill we get there" Madisons worried voice pulled them from there conversation
Cassandra's head whipped towards Madison, her eyes widening. Alicia's boyfriend was sick. Madison started to shout Alicia name as the phone cut out
"We're ten minutes away" Travis reassured speeding up
〕〔
CASSANDRA HELPED NICK OUT OF THE TRUCK, his limb becoming worse as Madison and Travis ran straight into Matts house. Cassandra paused for a moment looking down the street towards her house, she didn't know Matt lived this close to her – she could go and check on him
"We can go if you want" Nick whispered
Cassandra shook her head, the two of them walked into the house Cassandra immediately spotting Alicia walking with a glass of water. She caught up with her, touching her arm
A silent question 'are you okay?' In her eyes, Alicia nodded but Cassandra knew she was lying
Cassandra looked towards Matt, her eye's widening at the bite on his shoulder
"Is that how it happens?" Madison's asked
"I mean, Calvin was shot. It wasn't – wasn't like this. Get Alicia"
"What are you talking about?" Alicia asked making there presences known
"I'm gonna call 9-1-1 from the car" grabbing ahold of Alicia
"-Okay I'll wait for them here"
"No, go outside" Madison ordered
"Mom. What the hell are you doing?"
"Don't do this."
Cassandra sighed, she couldn't watch this. She wanted Alicia to be safe but she couldn't argue with her, because she always did what Alicia was doing right now — she turned around and walked out the room locking eyes with Nick who was sat on the sofa hands buried in his head, she made her way over to him a small smile crossing her face as she looked at him, zoned out in his own world
"I'm going to check on my dad" she announced, startling Nick as he raised his head quickly meeting her eyes. He stood up instantly
"He hates you" she told him, placing her hand on his chest and pushing him back down, he rolled his eyes and stood back up
"And with the way things are going. I'll take that over letting you walk out that door and not come back" he raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to argue, Cass sighed nodding her head
She tugged on her Jean Jacket, nerves taking over her body. Nick watched her hand, quickly taking it into his own to try and calm her nerves as they headed out the door
A few minutes down the road, Cassandra stood staring at her house. The place she grew up. The memories of when she was young flashing through her mind. Like when her dad taught her how to ride a bike, on the pavement underneath her feet
She slowly crept up to the porch, noticing the door was open. She reached out towards the door knob, another memory coming to mind of her dad teaching Nick how to fix it – when they were younger, when he actually liked Nick and thought he would be a good man to his daughter, Cassandra tried to place an age on them both, she thinks she was just about to turn fourteen that meant Nick had just turned fourteen but she could be wrong.
She opened the door and crept into the house
"'Dad!" Her voice echoed through out the house. Her and Nick's shoes hitting the floor, making the wood creak "dad"
Nick walked infront of Cassandra, he knew something wasn't right it was to quite. The both of them had a bad feeling in there guts but Cassandra didn't want to listen to it
"Dad" Cassandra shouted for the last time only for a loud bang to be heard upstairs, without thinking Cassandra bolted up the stairs
"Cass!" Nick ran after her but she was to quick, Nick tripped due to his limb, he fell hitting the stairs " Don't" Nick begged as he looked up seeing her hand rested on her father's bedroom door
Cassandra ignored his plea, quickly twisting her wrist and opening the door, her father's figure stood in the room but it wasn't her father anymore...he was like Cal
"Daddy?" Cassandra sobbed, her face scrunching up as tears began to fill her eyes "No, no. Daddy"
The undead figure of her father turned, growls escaping its throat but Cassandra couldn't move She was frozen in her spot
With every second he got closer
Nick had been shouting her name over and over again, but she couldn't hear a thing. Nick pushed himself up, ignoring the pain shooting through his ankle as he ran up the stairs
Elijah's hand was inches away from grabbing Cassandra, when Nick reached his hands out pushing her father away from her and pulling the door shut, he held it closed with his hand, he leant against the door breathing heavily, as the zombie banged against the door trying to break through.
His gaze switched to Cassandra who was still frozen in place. In one quick motion he had wrapped his arms around her pulling her against him, she buried her head in his neck as he ran his hand through her hair, he didn't know what to say to her. She didn't know what to say to him when his dad died. But all he knew was he wanted her by his side, so he hoped the same could help her — but how is it supposed to help, when they don't even know what happened to him and to everyone else.
Tears fell from Cassandra's eyes and onto Nick's shoulder and his arms tightened around her
"We should go" Cassandra's soft voice whispered "we should go" she pulled away from Nick he watched her walk into her room, Cassandra needed to be alone. She was sad about her dad even though as she got older they didn't have the best relationship. He always expected to much of her. Didn't understand what made her happy. Hated the man she loved. She knew he wanted what was best for her, that he loved her but he just went about it wrong.
She knew he loved her because of all the good memories she had when she was a child — he raised her alone. She was the last thing he had of her mother, who she knew he loved deeply and from the pictures she had seen, she was the spitting image of her mother. She could only imagine the pain her father went through seeing her but he loved It to, she was his reminder of the women he loved.
Nick tapped on the door where Elijah was locked in. Leaning the side of his head against It – he couldn't leave him there like that. It's not fair on him or Cass — his hand hovered over the handle but he was hesitant what if they could cure whatever this was and he killed him
Nick sighed turning around placing his forehead against the door
"I know..." Nick started not knowing why he was talking to a dead man. Nick thought maybe there was a chance he could hear–understand him. He needed to apologise in some way "I know I'm not the man you would want for her. I know I've put her through hell. But I do love her and I'm going to protect her, whatever this is. It won't get to her"
Nick turned quickly hearing the creaking of the wooden floor down the stairs panic filling him
"Nick?" Nick let out a sigh of relief upon hearing his mother's voice "Cass?"
"One minute, Mom"
Cassandra walked out of her room a bag resting on her shoulder. Taking a long look at her father's door
"Bye dad" she whispered, quickly making her way down the stairs. Upon seeing her tear Stained face Madison quickly rushed to there side, placing her hands on the girls cheeks, Cassandra looked everywhere but Madison's blue eyes knowing if she did she would break
"Her dad, he's sick" Nick told his mom, wrapping his arm around Cassandra's Shoulder bringing her into his side "like Cal. We can't help him"
The blonde looked at Cassandra with sympathetic eyes as Nick lead her out to the truck.