•••
"Ready to go?"
"All clear"
"Grace?"
"Take me to my kids already Jesus Christ"
"Okay, okay. You've gotten bossy"
I stuck my tongue out, receiving a middle finger from the billionaire.
After a quick trip in the jet, we landed in a forest, a space just big enough for a small aircraft hollowed out in the middle of it. If I looked out of the jet window I could just about see the side of a cabin peaking from behind the trees.
"Thanks Tony" I smiled, waving at him before sprinting towards the cabin, my injuries forgotten in the mad rush to see my kids.
Hammering on the door, I tried to catch my breath before it opened, revealing a weary Fury.
"Oh Grace thank god" he breathed, pulling me into a hug which I gladly returned.
"They told me you carried me out - thanks for that" I laughed weakly, stepping back from the hug to peer around his shoulder, "the kids?"
"Just through here" he said, stepping aside to let me in before leading me to the living room.
"Mummy!" Nathanael shouted, wrapping himself around my leg as soon as he saw me.
Soon I was being smothered by my kids, crying slightly as I hugged them all.
"Mummy whats that on your neck?"
"Just a bruise, I fell over" I lied, smiling, "just don't touch it because it still hurts okay?"
"Okay" Lila giggled, hugging me again, "Look you have to see what Maria got us!"
•••
"Mum. I know you're not okay"
"Woah there Coops, I'm fine" I smiled, ruffling his hair.
"No you're not! I saw you get dragged away by those guys and I had to call Uncle Fury - they wouldn't tell us anything - and then you come back and you're hurt!"
I looked at him wearily, before patting the seat next to me.
"I'm not a baby anymore mum. I know somethings up. I'm almost 13!"
I narrowed my eyes slightly as I looked at my son, his age getting more and more apparent, before sighing.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
He nodded determinedly, a small frown on his face.
"Those guys back at the car park - they were looking for Uncle Steve. When I wouldn't tell them where he was they kidnapped me to try and get the information"
"But we don't know where he went"
"Exactly, but they wouldn't take no for an answer kiddo"
"But that's not fair"
"Life isn't fair, not everyone is nice Coops, that's why dad was away so much when you were young" I smiled sadly.
"Where is he now?"
"In a safe place, but I'm sure he won't be there for too long. He'll come back"
Cooper nodded slowly, before leaning over to give me another hug, "thank you for coming back"
"We always will, no matter what. I swear it" I said, hugging him back, "Okay bud. Off to bed"
"Nooooo"
I snickered slightly, wrestling him off the chair and towards the bedroom, "I gave you an extra half an hour come on cheeky bugger"
Cooper laughed, giving up and flopping onto the bed.
"Night"
"Night mum"
•••
I groaned as I fell onto the sofa, my body still in pain.
"Grace"
"Oh hey Fury"
"Tony visited them all today"
"Yeah?"
"You're now officially a dead woman"
I let out a giggle at the weird statement, brushing my hands through my hair.
"What a weird world, hey? I guess I'm now a member of the fake death squad"
"Welcome to the club" Fury chuckled, downing a beer. He studied me for a few minutes, a frown settling across his features.
"Are you okay, Grace?"
"What - Yeah. I think I am, yknow, considering the circumstances"
He nodded slowly, "You're not though"
I could feel my façade slipping away slightly, heaving a sigh, "Fine. I'm not"
He nodded, urging me to carry on.
"I guess I just wasn't ready. When I saw them holding the kids - I saw red Nick. I think I killed one of them, maybe that's why they were so brutal" I chuckled hollowly, "I never expected them to find us. We hadn't had an accident since I was pregnant with Cooper, and god, that was ages ago"
Nick just nodded as I took another prolonged shaky breath, tears welling up.
"And it's stupid because I shouldn't be crying right now - I made it out. Other people aren't as lucky"
"I watched the tapes back Grace, everything about that was lucky - if we hadn't come when we did ..." he trailed off, avoiding my gaze.
"I know. That's the thing that scared me the most. What I said in there ... I wasn't fully lying"
"What -"
"Not like that. I'm not suicidal. But I honestly was prepared to die for them - is that totally crazy?"
"No. No it's not."