This is the last chapter *takes deep breath* enjoy, and don't forget to show your support and
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
I took another step back as my dad's head fell to the side. He continued to take in huge gulps of air.
"Someone get me something to warm this man up!" The lady yelled. Almost immediately there were three guys there with a stretcher, picking up my dad and throwing a wool blanket over him. One of the guys started to rub up and down my dad's limbs, trying to warm him up.
I watched, numb on the inside as my white faced father groaned. His lips were purple and his whole body was shaking. His long dirty blonde hair was wet and sticking to his face, making him look sickly.
I broke out of Luke's protective arms and took a step towards my father. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to act anymore. I felt so distant from myself. My body seemed to have a mind of its own as my arm outstretched and landed softly on the side of my dad's face.
"Charlie," he muttered, his teeth chattering. My lip quivered at his weak voice. Even after everything he had done, he was still my father right? I sniffled.
"I'm here daddy." I told him as I chewed my lip.
"I-I'm sorry baby." He told me, eyes still clamped shut. I just nodded, fighting the tears.
"It's okay daddy." A hand fell on my shoulder and I jumped ever so slightly as I twisted around. It was one of the paramedics.
"We're going to need to take your...uh...father, away for a bit to make sure he's stable. Okay?" I just nodded and took a step back as they carried away the stretcher and my father.
Something finally occurred to me at that moment. The shot. There had definitely been a shot. My eyes grew in realization.
"Jaxon," I breathed. I turned to Luke, he looked rather confused as he continued to shiver under his blanket. "Jaxon," I told him and the recognition flooded to his face as his eyes grew. He looked over his shoulder, but I had already taken off.
"Jaxon!" I called, running down the rows of machines. I passed one of the open doors and noticed an ambulance and a few police cars. I stopped, looking out to the ambulance as they loaded in my father.
"Hun, we want to take you to the hospital," the lady from earlier said. "We want to make sure you don't have any frostbite or hypothermia, okay?" I shook my head, turning to her.
"There was one more." I told her. She nodded.
"We found the four men." I frowned. "The one on the rail, the one unconscious over there," she gestured to the aisle where I had hidden earlier, "And the two tied together. We have had them escorted to the station." I shook my head.
"No...not them." I stood on my tipi-toes, trying to see them through the rows. I took note of the officer by Luke and then two others wandering around. I chewed at my lip, growing nervous.
I started off, but the lady grabbed me by the shoulder, stopping me. I glanced down at her, she looked so worried. I ripped free of her grasp and started to jog away from her. I had to find him.
"Hey, wait!" But I wasn't stopping for her.
I jogged passed the aisles as I made my closer to the back room. Where was he? My breath caught in my throat as I stopped just before the room. There was a large puddle of blood there. I started to follow it. My heart was in my throat and the adrenaline pumping through my veins had stopped all of my chills, now leaving me stiff, but wary.
"Jaxon?" I called out weakly. I heard a grunt and looked out into the shadows that were cast by the machines. "Jaxon," I whisper yelled again. "Jaxon, it's me, it's Charlene, everything's going to be okay." I told the person in the shadows as I continued to approach the darkness.
"Jaxon," I breathed when my eyes fell on the all too familiar figure who was leaned up against the corner. He was leaning forward, his hands pressed into his bleeding thigh with his head was thrown back, he looked deathly pale.
I kneeled down next to him.
"Jaxon," I started softly, reaching out for him and looking down at his leg. I winced, he had lost a lot of blood. "Jaxon, I'll go get the paramedics, you're going to be okay." I made as to get up, but Jaxon grabbed me by the arm, keeping me down. He shook his head no and I frowned. "What?"
"I-I can't," he breathed.
"You can't what Jaxon?" I looked down at his leg anxiously as he shook his head back and forth.
"I...I've been bad Charlie." He told me. "I can't do that."
"Can't do what?" His eyes cracked open.
"Prison." I sighed, reaching out to his face. He leaned into my hand.
"It's going to be okay Jaxon, I won't let them get you."
"I did it." He muttered.
"What, what did you do Jaxon?" He shook his head again.
"Tell Parker hey for me won't you Charlie?"
"Jaxon, this is crazy."
"Hey!" Someone called. "We got someone over here!" The lady kneeled down next to us. "It's okay kid, the paramedics are on their way." Jaxon's chest started hitching, as if he was going to cry, but no tears came.
It didn't take long for the paramedics to come and take him away just as they had my father.
I stood up and rubbed my hands over my arms under the blanket, trying to fight off my growing gooseflesh.
A car sped into the parking lot and my eyes turned to it. It was an all too familiar truck. I frowned. How did he get here?
Paul practically threw himself down from the driver's side as Jack hopped out of the passenger's, rubbing at his clearly sleepy eyes.
"Charlene!" He practically screamed as he ran up to me and buried me in a hug. Luke sauntered his way over to us.
"Paul?" I stated skeptically as he hugged the daylights out of me. "Aren't you supposed to be in Massachusetts?" Paul just waved it off. "That's next week hun. They gave me the call and by god I was so worried." He told me as he held me away from him by the shoulders.
"They called you?"
"I'm the one who enrolled you remember? You're my kid." He stated as he took me into yet another possessive hug. I frowned. I was his kid. Maybe, just maybe.
"I'll need a place to stay." I started slowly. If my father was going to prison, which with no doubt he would, what would I do? Paul nodded, still hugging me close to him. "Do you think...maybe."
"Jack?" Paul asked, turning to his boyfriend. Jack just smiled and nodded. "Well then, you are welcome to stay with us." I beamed up at Paul. He was way too kind, he went out of his way to help out everybody, especially me.
"Paul, thanks, I-"
"Don't mention it kid." He said with a smile, ruffling my curly hair. "Having a girl around will be fun." I smiled at him and nodded a thanks as Paul took a step back. Luke took one more forward, wrapping his arms around me from behind and burying his face in my neck.
"You know," he said in a low voice. "My parents live in Massachusetts." I smiled.
This was it, everything was officially over. The bad guys lost, the good guys won. Some fell, but we were all okay in the end, weren't we? No. With a sudden burst of confidence something finally occurred to me.
I spun around in Luke's arms, looking up at him.
"I-I have to do something quick." I told him. He looked rather skeptical, but he nodded in assurance. I smiled up at him and leaned up, giving him a light kiss on his cheek before breaking away.
I crossed my arms over my chest and pulled the blanket around me tighter. I walked up to one of the officers, he was leaning up against one of the machines talking into his walkie-talkie and assessing the damages.
"Excuse me," I said as I cleared my throat. He glanced up at me and cut off his conversation, raising an eyebrow. "I-uh...I have to report something."
The man frowned, crossing his arms and leaning against the machine. He cocked an eyebrow in interest.
"It's about a teacher at my school...Mr. Kridd."
I was sitting alone in my hospital room. The hospital had insisted that I stayed for the night so they could keep a watch on my wrist. They feared that I would get tetanus or something from it.
I grabbed my wrist tenderly. The branded scar was wrapped in a fluffy white gauze, underneath that was a thick ointment that reeked, but gave it a nice cooling effect.
There was a tap on my already open door that distracted my attention. I looked up expectantly and smiled.
"Hey," I said lightly.
"Hey," Parker replied as he entered my room at a relatively slow pace. He stopped by my bed and looked down at it. I moved over and patted the space next to me, welcoming him to sit. He did as I invited.
"How's your head feeling?" I asked. He frowned, not happy with my comment. Because of the bleeding on Parker's head they had shaved it in order to get a tighter wrap to stay.
"Fine." He huffed. "Your wrist?" I held it up.
"All better."
"You'll always have that scar."
"Don't remind me." He just shook his head at me.
"So..." He started cautiously. "You and Luke right?" My cheeks heated with a blush as I looked down at my hands, playing with my thumbs.
"He asked me out." I told him truthfully.
"Oh," Parker's eye fell and I looked up at him. He looked so defeated.
"You remember when we were playing Xbox?" I asked. He frowned.
"What?"
"And I asked you about Scarlet."
"Oh, that...what about it?"
"You told me that you did like a guy..." I paused, awaiting his reaction. He nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I guess I did."
"That guy was me, wasn't it?" He looked up at me, his cheeks heating.
"Look, Charlene, I'm happy for you and Luke."
"Good," I smiled. "Because I said no." Parker's face snapped up to me, stunned, so I decided to take control. I leaned forward and grabbed Parker by the back of the head, mashing his lips to mine. It didn't take long for him to catch on, his arms tracing around my back as he kissed me lightly. Finally, something felt right.
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Thank you to everyone who showed your support in votes and comments! I couldn't have finished this novel without you :)
If you would like to continue on this journey with Charlene, Parker, and Luke, please read the sequel:
Forever Female