YAYY I got internet back! Here it is.......
This chapter is ALMOST the final chapter of “No Longer’! It is written in an omniscient point of view. Meaning, the narrator is not in the story, simply explaining everything, and the narrator knows everything about everyone in the story. The narrator for this part and part of the next is not Laken as it was for the rest of the story. It is just someone looking down upon everything and feeling their feelings and hearing their thoughts and conversations.
For the first time in Jaxon’s life he felt true, unmatched, unheard of anguish. The pain of losing someone cannot be explained in words, rather it is something that has to be experienced for one to truly understand the power and influence it has over a person. Jaxon may have played the role of the tough guy but he was far from it then. Tears were pouring out of his red, blood shot eyes and every time he thought he had control over them, they came flooding down his cheeks with such fury and force he swore he felt them burning through his skin. His heart, though still beating, felt as if it were going to give out at any moment. And everything that was going through his mind was enough to drive a sane man crazy. He loved Laken, more than he or she had ever known. Until that moment, when he realized he lost her forever, he thought that she was just a means to an end; disposable. Now he knew what the famous phrase “you never know what you have until it’s gone” really meant. He had taken his precious Laken for granite, along with the love that they had shared. But no longer would he do that. Not to any women, ever again. He would keep his distance. No longer would he be an investigator for his mother. If he were to stay here, he would simply be a caregiver. Check in on each of his girls, but never get attached. He would never let himself feel this kind of pain again, never. Then again, Jason was merely her caregiver and look at him weeping over her body.
Jason couldn’t keep himself together. Not even for a split second. Every order Marshal was giving him in order to try to help Laken and her son was going in one ear and out that other. He wanted so badly for her to be alright, but he couldn’t do anything to help. He knew Marshal was deluding himself into thinking he could save her. Jason knew the only thing they could do, one final act in Laken’s name, was to name her son Lucas. But he didn’t even know if Marshal had successfully gotten the child out of Laken’s womb. In that moment, he heard nothing; though he tried desperately to hear the sound of Laken’s heartbeat. And even though he couldn’t hear a thing, he felt. He felt wracked with guilt over his feelings for her. He felt like he had let her down. As if he was the reason she was dead. And he was, wasn’t he? He was the one who had taken her to the men’s side of the institution. He was the one who had made her stay with Zane. And he was the one who had insisted on being there for her even though he knew he couldn’t be the man she really deserved. From Laken’s death Jason realized something, something that would forever change him. He realized that he could no longer do what his mother had tasked him to do. To stay detached from the assets that he was to care for. He knew that he could no longer work there and he knew what had to be done. That’s why he grabbed the scalpel from Marshal’s hand.
Marshal was beside himself. Looking upon what had just transpired and thinking to himself thoughts that no man should ever think. He felt weak and useless. He had tried so hard to save her, Laken. He wanted, more than anything, for her to be okay. Why he had ever grown so attached to her was beyond him. He had worked in that institution since the day he was conceived and not once had he ever felt this way when an asset died. He had a theory on why he had such a strong pull towards Laken. He loved her. Not in the way that Jason or Jaxon had, but in more of a paternal way. He felt as though she was his child and his only duty on Earth was to protect her; save her from all the hurt and violence in the world. Then his own guilt took over as he realized that the very place she was, was the cause off all the pain she had ever felt and he had kept her there. He could have easily let her escape or taken her somewhere where she could get help. But alas, he kept his unity with his sister, Brenda, and did not betray her. If he had, Laken would still be alive and well. She would be hurt and scarred, but, in time, those scars would fade and she would blossom into the beautiful young woman she was born to be. Marshal now had to acknowledge the fact that he had let Laken down. He was here to keep her well and he had failed. No longer would he be failure. No longer would he do wrong by her. No, instead he would man up and take action. He had to finish delivering the baby boy. He had to fulfill Laken’s dying wish. He grabbed a scalpel and asked for, the only seemingly sane man left in the room, Zane’s help and went to make an incision when the scalpel was suddenly ripped from his hand.
Zane hadn’t known Laken as long as the others. He hadn’t gotten to benefit from her company as much as the others but he still felt as though a small piece of him had died inside when he realized that Laken had passed away. He kept strong, only letting a small tear roll down his face. He knew he had to keep what he knew a secret. He knew that no one else there could ever know that he and Laken were brother and sister. That would make everything else to follow far too difficult. He only wished that he had had the time to finish explaining his story to her. He wanted her, no, he needed her to know the truth. It wasn’t their mother’s fault that he was taken and placed into that hell hole. He had been six at the time, just started the first grade and wanted everyone to know that he was cool. Everyone knew that his mom was a drunk and no one wanted to be his friend so he thought he had to prove himself. On the day he was taken, he had ran into some fourth graders on the way home from school. He usually walked with Zack, but he had basketball practice and Zane hated sports so he walked home. When the fourth graders asked him where his sidekick was, Zane came up with some smartass (at least as smartass as a six year old can be) comment. The fourth graders got mad and tried to beat him up so he ran. They teased him the whole way to his house and when he got to his front yard, with the other kids still close behind, he saw his mom passed out on the lawn, a bottle of whiskey in hand. All the kids laughed and made terrible jokes and Zane cracked under the pressure. He picked up the bottle and threw it at the oldest, loudest boy, Greg, and it hit him right in the face. Greg fell to the ground and Zane jumped on him and started punching him as hard as he could. When he finally stopped, Greg wasn’t moving. All the others had dispersed and Zane had no idea what to do so he ran. He ran as far and fast as he could. He knew that he could no longer be seen in that town. That picture perfect little garden of Eden had been destroyed. He knew he could no longer be the good kid, and that if anyone ever saw him, he would go to jail. So, he walked. And that’s when he was picked up by a seemingly nice enough woman and brought to this place. He was so happy to know that his mother had gotten sober. And so happy to know his sister, even if for just a small time. No longer would Zane just conform to the monstrosity Brenda ordered. He would stand up for himself and others, and fight for what is right. But first he had to help Marshall deliver Laken’s precious little boy. He knew no one else in the room could compose themselves enough to so he would, for her. But, just as Marshal was about to make the first cut, Jason took the scalpel from his hand.
“No, Jason, what are you doing!?”
“I can’t do this anymore. I have to go.”
“No, Jason, please listen to me. I am your family, boy. I can’t stand here and watch somebody else die dammit! Give me the scalpel, now.”
“I’m sorry Uncle Marshal. I can’t do that.”
Echoes of “no” filled the room as Jason took the blade and slit it across his own throat. The blood spattered from floor to ceiling and on anyone in sight. In an instant he was dead, lying on the floor motionless. Jaxon ran over to his brother and cradled him in his arms while he silently wept. No words were spoken for a long moment until Zane finally spoke up.
“Marshal, we still have to get that baby out, now!”
“Of course.”
And with that, Lucas was born. A healthy baby boy with beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair. The perfect picture of joy and health.
Laken’s body was covered, along with Jason’s and the rest of them left the room. What seemed like an eternity since Laken had been stabbed had, in reality, only been 25 minutes. When the men walked out of the room they were met by an unhappy looking Brenda.
“What the hell happened here!? And who the hell is that child??!”
“Mom, this is Laken’s son, Lucas.”
“Ohh how marvelous! A new one. I’m always hungry for new blood! Now tell me, why is there so much blood all over my floor, and you all?”
“Laken was stabbed, and we couldn’t save her. And…and……”
“And what Jaxon? Spit it out for heaven’s sake child!”
“Jason is dead.”
“WHAT!?”
“Jaxon, take Lucas to your room with you please. I’ll talk to your mother and be there in a moment. Zane, go get cleaned up.”
“Yes sir.”
“Marshal, please tell me what happened to my son.”
“I’m so sorry Brenda, he killed himself.”
Marshal explained everything to her and when he was finished he got the last response he was ever expecting.
“Well, what a pity. The boy was so weak; I thought I raised him better than that. I guess I’ll have to do better with the new one.”
After Marshal explained everything to Brenda he went to quickly check on Zane before going to Jaxon’s room to tend to him and Lucas. Zane was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. When asked what he was feeling, Zane simply replied “life’s a bitch” and said no more. Marshal knew not to press the subject and left to go to see Jaxon.
When he got there, Jaxon was cradling Lucas in his arms and looked the happiest he had ever seen him. Marshal decided to make the point to Brenda that Lucas should be given a father, such as Jaxon, to learn from. He already knew Jaxon would do it; there was no need to ask him. And he hoped Brenda would see Jaxon as her strongest son and submit to the idea without much pressure. He wasn’t sure how much of an argument he could make for the issue other than Lucas needing someone who loves him and who was close to his mother to pass on her legacy to him. And Marshal knew Brenda would laugh in his face if he presented that argument.
He and Jaxon talked about how Jaxon had to step up and be a man for his son. Lucas may not be related to him by blood but he was the closest thing that baby would ever have to family and Marshal wanted to make sure that Jaxon always called him his son, and that Lucas never knew otherwise. Maybe it was not wise to lie to the boy, but it was for his own good. He needed some peace and stability in his life and Marshal was going to make damn sure it happened.
Jaxon was in love with the little guy the moment he saw him. His blue eyes and blonde locks of hair were perfection. He looked so much like Laken, yet so much like his own person that it was unreal. Jaxon had always wanted children. People who would love him no matter what he did or said. His family was not like that at all and he desperately needed the unconditional love. He decided that he was going to raise Lucas as his own and, together with Marshal, they decided it would be best if Lucas never knew the truth about his biological father. Jaxon felt that he could be everything the boy needed in a father anyway; there was no need to further confuse him. His only dilemma was how he was to raise a child, love him, and then let Brenda corrupt and destroy him in this business. He knew he wasn’t as heartless as her. He couldn’t just raise children to be sex slaves, but he had no idea how to prevent that from happening to Lucas. His sweet, sweet Lucas. But he would figure it out. After Marshal went back to the infirmary to clean up all that had been lost, there was only one more thing to contend with; telling Michael what had just transpired.
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Again, the next chapter will be slightly short. You guys may have to wait a bit because I am having trouble writing the ending. I want it to be perfect! So when it is, you all will be the first to know!