A/N: This is the last chapter guys and as much as it killed me the first time when I wrote it, it kills me more on the rework it. I know my #rr will be good and not spoil it for the #ftr
Remember to vote and comment
———
T W E N T Y - F O U R : F A L L I N G A P A R T
Ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation—Kahlil Gibran
D A N T E
When we pull up in front of the abandon office building, I notice that's it's heavily boarded off with caution cones and tape. I quickly glance at the sign out front that reads that's its under demolition.
I exit my car with Jax and Mickey as Nadine pulls up separately in her car. I had her bring a separate vehicle in case it was needed to get Kat and Joseph away while I deal with Jason.
Nadine gets out of her car and Jax wraps an arm around her for a quick kiss. I huff to myself knowing I need to do everything in my power to get my family out of there alive.
I can't lose them, I just can't.
I know deep down I'll probably have to kill Jason. There's no reasoning with him at this point. He's done way too much to be left alive to be handed over to the proper authorities. Since Salvador is the head warlock, I don't trust him to do his job properly and deal with Jason. He'd probably let him go just so he could be in his good graces.
"They're in there," Mickey nods towards the building. "I can feel their magical energy." That's not good. That means one of them is using magic right now.
Jax stands next to me and points towards the rear entrance. There's a blacked out sedan parked there. I nod my head to him and I know without a word he's going to check it out and the perimeter.
I leave Nadine and Mickey at my car as I make my way through the front entrance of the building. It's pitch black in here but I can still see just fine, thanks to my enhanced eye sight. In the dark it's similar to night vision but in red instead of green.
I find the stairwell and make my way up with haste, using my demon speed. Within seconds I'm at the top floor where I hear a commotion going on. There's a bright spot light on the middle of the room and there's big wooden crates and boxes everywhere. I notice Joseph's small body sitting on top of one of the boxes near the middle of the room. He's got a pillowcase over his head and a growl rumbles in the back of my throat.
Where in the Hell is Kat at?
When I step in further to the room that's when I hear the God awful sound of a skull cracking. I run forward and that's when I see Jason stand and run towards a defenseless Kat that's leaning against one of the beams that's holding the ceiling up. He's going after her and I have to stop him. Using my speed and strength I barge into him and he flies across the room.
I'm so angry right now that all I want to do is rip his throat out. I quickly glance at Kat and that's when I finally see her for the first time since this afternoon. She's bruised all over and there's a trace of blood coming from her mouth. I notice a pool of blood behind her head on the beam. She has a head wound and that's when I know for sure it was the sound of her head hitting it that caused that awful cracking noise.
Kat needs help and she needs it now. If she were to fall asleep with a concussion right now, the results would be bad.
I step towards her and that's when I'm suddenly thrown backwards into a wooden crate. I groan in annoyance. I'm getting really tired of being thrown around by this fucker. I see Jason coming at me and quickly stand. Noticing the blade coming towards me, I quickly duck out of the way and counter his attack.
Not today asshole. You've already tried filleting me once before.
When I attempt to kick him in the face he counters my attack and lands a blow to my stomach. Fuck that hurt! I look down at his hand and notice a pair of brass knuckles with wards etched into them.
Can this guy ever fight fair? Of course not. He's a fucking coward.
I watch him grin down at me and am waiting for his attack so I can counter it. I know he's going to attempt to stab me but I've learned my lesson with this guy. Just as I'm about to put my arms up to block the attack, Jason stops mid motion and goes flying through the air. He blast through two beams before hitting the wall hard.
When I look over at Kat, she's holding her hand out towards him. She must have been watching and thought I was in danger. Damnit Kat, you need to persevere your powers.
I make my way to her and wrap my arm around her to get her the Hell away from here. I know Joseph's near by and I can grab them both. Jason's down for the moment and I'll have time to get these two to safety so I can finish this.
When I put my arm around her weak body, I expect her to wrap her arms around me but she doesn't. Instead she pushes me away and shakes her head.
"Get Joseph out first. You won't be able to get both of us out at the same time without us weighing you down," she explains through short breaths.
Damnit Kat I can carry the both of you just fine. You wouldn't be weighing me down. I shake my head in disapproval but she continues to speak.
She explains about how Jason will try to use Joseph against us if he stays here. That she'll be fine and can hold off Jason until I come back for her. I still don't like this.
Suddenly she chokes and spits up a profuse amount of blood. Fuck this isn't good. By the way she's holding her side I can tell she has either broken or bruised ribs. I think of the baby and pray nothing has happened to them.
"No Kat I'm not leaving you here alone with him," I try to argue but she shakes her head, putting her hand on my face.
"You have to do this, for your son. He comes before anyone, including me," she explains. I'm so angry at her right now for being such a good person. She's putting someone else before her at a time like this. I'm the luckiest man in the world to have a woman like this by my side. She makes me stronger than anything ever could. Because of her, I aim to be the best man I can be.
Fuck she's right. I need to get Joseph out of her first and come back. If I take both of them right now, Jason could escape and we'd never get another opportunity like this again. Plus I have the chance of him coming back for my family to finish what he started. No one is safe with this man walking around in the world.
"Fine, I'll take him with me but I'll be right back," I kiss her and promise her that I'll make this alright. I tell her how much I love her. I promise so many things to her and I know for a fact I'll do anything I have to, to be sure it comes true.
Kat has a sorrowful look on her face and tries to tell me something but I can barely understand her, she's growing weaker by the second.
"Whatever it is can wait until after all of this is done," I smile.
It can. Whatever she needs to tell me, I will listen all night if I have to once we get home.
I glance over at Jason and growl. I kiss Kat one last time and make my way over to where Joseph is sitting. I gently put my arms around him and he flinches.
"It's okay buddy, it's Dad. I'm going to get you out of here. I'm so sorry about all of this," I pick him up in my arms, holding him tight to my chest. He wraps his confined arms around my neck and anger boils in me.
Why would you confine a child like this? For what? Did you think he'd do so much that he needed it? Or are you on that much of a power trip you had to make a six year old feel smaller than he already does?
I run down the stairs as fast as I can and make my way outside. When I get to the others, I sit Joseph in the backseat of Nadine's car. She quickly gets in the driver seat and starts it. I easily break the rope that's confining his hands and pull the pillowcase off his head. His face is soaked from tears and there's duct tape over his mouth. I growl again and as gently as I can, take it off his mouth. As soon as it's off, he sobs and reaches for me.
"Daddy! Daddy I'm so sorry," he sobs into my chest. What is he sorry for? He did nothing wrong. I wrap my arm around him in a tight embrace, thankful he's safe.
"It's okay buddy you did nothing wrong. You're fine now and Aunt Nadine is going to take you home," I lean back and look him in the eyes, reassuring him that he's safe.
"You have to help Kat. He was hurting her really bad!" he begins to get frantic and looks around.
"I will get her out buddy, don't worry. Everything will be okay," I promise and kiss the top of his head. I buckle his seat belt and close the door. I tap the roof of the car to signal Nadine to go. She quickly speeds off back towards home.
I turn and face the building, ready to barge in. Suddenly Jax comes running from the building and has a frantic expression. I've never seen him move so fast.
"Dante this is bad! The buildings rigged with controlled explosives. I think this is the building that's due for demolition tomorrow! It can't be a coincidence that Jason brought Kat and Joseph here," he explains nearly out of breath. He's right. It can't be a coincidence. Jason always has a reason for everything.
As I take a step towards the building, that's when there's a massive explosion that stops me in my tracks.
I watch in horror as dust and derby fly out from the lower level and the explosions make their way up each story. I think back to the room Kat was in and all the crates everywhere. They were explosives.
Without a thought, I run towards the building as it begins to collapse. I feel arms wrap around me and pull me to the ground as I fight them off of me and scream into the open space.
"Kat! Katarina! No!" I shove Jax off of me and begin my way towards the building. It's halfway collapsed and if I can get to her fast enough I can grab her before the top floor hits the ground.
I know I'm not thinking clearly because if she was anywhere near those crates, which she was, there's no way she would survive that. I push my way forward and Jax tackles me to the ground. He kneels over me, holding me down. I scream more and try to lift him off of me.
Using the full force of my demon strength, I shove him off. I begin to stand up when I'm suddenly brought to my knees and I can't move at all.
I turn and Mickey is using his powers to bind me to the ground. I desperately try to move but there's no point. As long as Mickey has his full attention on me, there's not much I can do.
"Mickey let me fucking go!" I scream, strangling to breathe. No I can't lose her. I just can't!
"No Dante! You'll end up killing yourself trying to get to her. She's gone! Katarina is gone!" I hear the words he's saying but it's not registering.
No she can't be gone. She can't be dead.
So many times in the last few months since we've been together, I've almost lost her but she always comes out of it stronger than before. She always comes back to me.
"No!" I wail through the tears that are falling down my face.
I watch as the building completely collapses, symbolizing my life at the moment. My whole world just got destroyed and I can't move, can't breathe.
I hear the sound of sirens in the distance and feel Jax pull me off the ground. I can barely stand, and he has to help Mickey carry me to my car. He no longer is holding me down with his powers but he might as well be. I'm motionless, powerless right now.
Jax opens the passenger door and motions to sit me in it. I shake my head and hold on to the door frame. I can't leave. Regardless if she's gone or not, I can't leave her.
"We aren't going to leave Dante. I called Jared Norvak explaining the situation. He will be here shortly. Just you need to get out of their way and let the search and rescue do their job," he explains. I barely nod my head.
"I don't want to sit in the car," I finally speak and move to the hood. I sit on it while we wait for the authorities to arrive.
Ten minutes later, I've jumped off the hood by now and am pacing back and forth while the search and rescue team remove rubble, looking for both Kat and Jason's body.
Jared is standing near the site, barking orders to his men. He's doing everything he can to help out and I greatly appreciate it.
A younger man, around his early twenties is standing next to him wearing a LAPD jacket and hat. The back of his jacket says 'LAPD Forensics Department.' I don't like that. Only reason forensics needs to be here is if there's a body, a dead one.
I watch the men and women work as they continue their search. I'd like to get in there and help, I could clear a path a lot faster than them but I have to remind myself that ninety percent of the people here are only human. It would look suspicious if a random guy came over and started picking up concrete bricks like it was nothing.
Another ten minutes passes and I hear someone yell for Jared. I walk closer to them, both Mickey and Jax on my tail incase they need to restrain me. I listen intently as the officer speaks with Jared in a low voice. I can hear everything that's said and for once I'm thankful for my enhanced hearing.
"There's a body, a males from the look of it. It's hard to tell because it's unrecognizable. We need to get Cameron over here to check it out," my heart freezes and I pray that Kat somehow made it out alive.
She had to, she just had to.
"Cameron, get over here! Found something!" he yells and glances over at me. He gives me a reassuring nod and I step back.
I don't care about Jason. Fuck him. The only one I care about finding is Kat. The woman who has my heart completely and if I lose her, I'll never be the same.
Cameron makes his way to the body and kneels down over it as he runs some test and does some measurements and when he's done he returns back to Jared.
"It's a male, in his mid thirties. African decent and approximately six foot four in height and about one hundred and ninety-five pounds," he explains in detail and Jared looks over at me for confirmation.
It sounds like it's him by the details. There wasn't anyone else in the building so it has to be him. I nod in response to confirm the information.
Another ten minutes passes by and another officer yells out for Jared. I walk over to where they're at and Jax puts a hand on my shoulder. I stand anxiously behind the yellow tape as Jared makes his way over to the officer.
"We found another body, in the same condition as the other. Looks like a female," my heart literally drops and I nearly fall to my knees.
I run my fingers through my hair in frustration and look at Jared pleadingly when he turns to me. He calls for Cameron and I watch as he makes his way to where the body is.
After a few moments, Cameron stands with a sigh and walks back over to Jared. He has something in his hands but I can't tell what it is. Handing it to Jared, he begins to explain in detail what he found.
"This was on the body. It's a female in her early twenties," my heart drops once more, I'm finding it hard to breathe. "She is of what looks like mixed descent, African and Caucasian from the look of it, and approximately five foot seven inches and one hundred and thirty-five pounds," he looks over at me with remorse.
My body begins to shake as I turn in circles pulling the hair from the roots. No this can't be real. This can't be. It has to be a bad dream and I'll wake up any second. I slam my balled up fist against the side of my head, trying to wake me up from this nightmare.
Jax reaches over and pulls my hand down. His eyes are watering as he watches me lose my shit as my world comes grumbling down around me. It can't be her. It can't be her body. Someone else had to be in the building.
I'm in absolute denial.
Jared walks up to me with sympathy in his eyes as he hands me the object he is holding. I take it from him and that's when I realize what it is.
Katarina's totem bracelet.
I instantly fall to my knees, holding it to my chest. Everyone around us is silent and watching me have a mental breakdown. Jax falls to his knees next to me and wraps his arm around me. I feel Mickey come up next to me and fall down as well as he cries out in pain, wrapping his arms tightly around me.
After a few minutes Jax stands and pulls out his phone.
"I need to call Nadine. I need to let her know what happened and make sure Joseph is safe," he explains through his sobs as tears fall down his face.
Mickey sits back and brings his knees to his chest, rocking his body in shock.
"I'm sorry Dante, I'm truly sorry for your loss. If you need anything, anything. Let me know," Jared puts a strong hand on my shoulder as he kneels in front of me. Deep remorse and sorrow mask his face.
"She was pregnant...with my child," I blurt out and I hear the painful grunt Jared makes as he squeezes his grip on my shoulder.
"Fuck mate, I'm so sorry," his deep voice is strangled as he holds back his emotions. He has to, it's his job. Plus he didn't know Kat enough to mourn her but I'm thankful for him being here. I wouldn't trust anyone else with this.
I stay until they take the bodies in the coroners van. I walk to my car slowly and when I open the door and start it up, I think to the first time I took Kat for a ride in this. She was so excited and was so impressed by it. I remember thinking how amazing she was, a woman who knew her cars.
I glance in the rear view mirror to the backseat, remembering the time we made love back there when she was on her lunch break at work. She ended up being ten minutes late and was so mad at me but I knew she fucking loved every second of it.
The way home is rough.
I'm trying to hold myself together for when I get to the house and have to explain all of this to Joseph. Mickey sits in the backseat with his head leaning against the window and Jax is on the phone with my father since I couldn't call him and tell him that Kat was dead. I just couldn't.
Even though they found a body that had her totem on it, even though the body's information was identical to hers, I'm still in denial. I have to be. I don't want to admit that the woman I love, the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with, is dead.
When we pull up in the driveway, Kat's Jeep is sitting in its usual spot. I walk by it and put my hand on the hood—she loved this damn thing. I offered to get her a new car but she refused it and told me hers was special, that she wouldn't ever part with it.
The front door swings open and Nadine comes rushing out. She jumps into Jax's arms as she sobs into his shoulder. When she looks over at me she quickly jumps down and barges into me, knocking me back against Kat's car.
"Dante, please say it isn't true, please say she's not gone!" she wails into my chest and I wrap my arms around her. Kat and Nadine were really close and she's going to have a hard time at losing her best friend.
I look up at the front door and Joseph is standing in the doorway.
Handing Nadine off to Jax, I make my way to my son. His eyes are blood shot and he's trembling. Picking him up in my arms, he starts to cry into my neck and I squeeze him close to me. I carry him up to his room and lay him in his bed.
"Dad, where's Kat at?" he asks while sniffling.
My heart breaks at his words. He's so young and innocent. He's lost his mother, and someone he considered to be a mom to him all within a few short months.
"Buddy..." I sigh. "Kat's not coming home." I look in his eyes and he looks at me confused.
"Did you guys get in a fight or something? Is she staying with Aunt Nadine and Uncle Jax since they moved?" I shake my head at him and I feel the tears start to form.
"Joseph, son, Kat will never be coming back home. There was an explosion and Kat was still inside—" I'm trying so hard to keep it together for him.
Realization hits him hard and he shakes his head furiously. "No, no! Kat can't be gone. She was still alive when you left her inside that building! You promised, you promised she was going to be okay, that you would get her out!" he shouts and he's both angry and upset as he bangs his little fist against my chest and I allow him.
I allow him to have this moment of grief. When he gets weak and nearly passes out I pull him into my arms and hold him tight.
"I'm so sorry Joseph, God I'm so sorry," I groan and let the tears fall as both my son and I mourn Kat.
"I didn't hold my promise. I didn't bring her home. I failed you. I failed Kat. I failed our baby," I sob.
About an hour passes by and when Joseph falls asleep from exhaustion, I lay him in his bed and tuck him in, making sure his light is on. I stand there for a minute to wait for Kat but she's not there. She won't kiss the top of Joseph's curly hair and she won't tell him goodnight.
I close his bedroom door and Jax is standing in the hallway. He looks over at me with a frown and the look on his face tells me that there's more bad news.
"Jared called me just now and he got the results back from the coroner," he sighs and waits for me to nod before continuing.
"He said the cause of death was the explosion and they ran test on the bodies that matched up. Plus the female was about two months pregnant. I'm sorry Dante, but everything adds up. It was Katarina, she's really gone," he wraps his arm around me and I bow my head on his shoulder. I try not to break down and nearly choke.
"I explained everything to your dad and he's going to handle the funeral costs. He wants to talk to you too. I know things haven't been the same with you two the last couple months but Kat would want you to reconcile," he pats my shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze.
I know he's right. Kat was upset that my father and I weren't talking with each other like usual. She always told me how lucky I was to have a caring dad who was still around. I understood that she was wishing her father was still around at that time and I always wanted to be able to make it come true for her. I hated seeing her upset.
"I know. But right now I don't care about that. I just need time, I'm still in so much denial about this," I bow my head and run my fingers through my hair.
"I understand mate. If you need anything let me know. I'm going to take Mickey and head. Nadine is emotionally drained and needs some rest. Remember I'm only a phone call away," he gives me one last hug before heading downstairs.
I slowly make my way to our bedroom and when I open the door I half expect Kat to be laying on the bed, waiting for me. The bed is empty and I slam the door closed. Making my way slowly around the room, I open the dresser drawers.
Her clothes lay nicely folded inside and on top of her pajamas is one of my black t-shirts that she loved sleeping in, especially on nights Jax and I had to work late finding intel on the demon attacks. I pick it up and hold it to my face. It still smells like her. I gently lay it back into the dresser drawer.
The bathroom door is open and I think back to our times in that tub and shower. The laughter, the snuggles, the love making, all of it. I remember how nervous I was when I surprised her with the rose petals and candles. She loved it and had jumped into my arms, begging me to take her right then and there.
I sit back on our bed and remember all the times of making love in this bed. All the times I'd hold her in my arms and fall asleep. We'd lay in this bed for hours naked, talking about everything, baring our souls to one another. I could always tell her how I felt and even if I couldn't, she already knew.
My chest burns at the fact I'll never have that again.
When I pull open the end table drawer and see the pregnancy test laying there, a reminder of all that I've lost, I finally lose my shit.
I grab the end table lamp and throw it as hard as I can against the wall, shattering it into tiny pieces. All the stupid decorations I had put in my room when I first got this place don't have a chance with my fury.
By the time I'm done with my mental breakdown, I'm sitting on the floor against the end of the bed, holding a glass of alcohol in my hand and rub my right hand against my jeans. It's covered in blood for punching multiple holes in the walls and I could care less.
I feel something in my pockets and when I reach inside and pull out the tiny box, my stomach drops.
I no longer have a heart, a soul, I have nothing.
I open the box and look at the ring sitting inside it. The ring I planned on asking Kat to marry me with tonight. I'd had this whole thing planned out. Now that will never happen.
The love of my life is gone, forever.
I don't know how I'm going to get though this but I have to. I take a swig of my drink and tilt my head back. I have to. A little boy in the room down the hall is depending on me.
I couldn't keep my promise of keeping Kat safe, of bringing her home and giving her the life she truly deserved but I can keep my promise I made to her the last few seconds we spent together.
I have to own up and be a great dad—the best dad. I've got to put all my energy into taking care of Joseph and giving him a great life. I've got to show him the unconditional love that he deserves.
I silently pray to whoever is listening that I can be the father he deserves and to become the man that Katarina always knew I could be.
When I think of Kat, I hope that she's maybe looking out for me. That one day, I'll make her proud to call me the man she loved. The man she gave her life for.
Katarina, I love you.
Your sacrifice was for nothing.
T H E E N D