Chapter Two-Hundred-Two
The next day, bright and early before the sun was even up, all of the adults woke up and didn’t even bother waking the kids. Since they were all given baths the night before, they just left them in their pajamas and got ready themselves before loading up the vans and carrying them down while they were all asleep. The only child who woke up on the way down was Dakota but she was told that she either had to go back to sleep, or play quietly to herself until everyone else woke up. Since the Littrell’s and The Richardson’s were all going with them, they had more cars to ride in so it was a lot easier then the ride up. They made it so that Elenore, Dakota, Sarah and Josh were in a van with Nick, Aaron, Angel, AJ, and Ashley. Since Elenore is asleep Kevin took advantage and decided he would ride elsewhere until she woke up and started demanding for him. He went in the car with his mom and two brothers, and Brian, Riley, and Denise went with Brian’s family, while Wiley, Howie, Laila, Ryan, Kori, and Spencer, and security took the other van. The rest of the Carter family took BJ’s car, and the Detectives were in their car. Howie and Riley’s family ended up leaving in their own cars from their motel.
“Daddy I’m hungry,” Dakota announced quietly as they were well on their way.
“We’re going to stop at Mc Donald’s a little later honey…how about some captain crunch to snack on?”
“Kay,” she agreed readily and Ashley opened up Nick’s backpack and got out a Tupperware bowl of captain crunch that has Dakota’s name taped on it. She gave it to him and he opened it up and placed it on Dakota’s built in tray. He kissed her forehead softly and she smiled up at him before placing her hands to his cheeks and he moved in closer causing her to lean up and kiss him back.
“Daddy can I sits in your lap? Please?”
“No sweetheart, daddy needs you to sit in your carseat where you’re safe.”
“But I didn’ts get to cuddle withs you this morning…” she pouted.
“I’ll make up for it later baby, I promise,” he reassured and she slid her arms around his neck forcing him to lean forward so his forehead was touching hers and he smiled some and began to give her butterfly kisses. After a few moments he pulled back some allowing her to eat her cereal. He sat there watching her adoringly as he combed his fingers through her hair gently. While he was having daddy daughter time, Ashley leaned against the driver’s seat where her brother was sitting at and he eyed her curiously through the rear view mirror.
“Sit back and put your seat belt on young lady,” he ordered incredulously.
“Can I sit up there with you?”
“Only if you put your seat belt on.” Ashley smiled and she climbed into the front passenger’s seat and she put her seat belt on obediently. He relaxed when she did and went back to concentrating on the road. She hugged her legs close to her chest as she turned slightly in her seat so she was facing him.
“I’m surprised at you,” she announced after a few moments.
“Why?”
“You don’t have Laila permanently attached to your hip this morning. Aren’t you worried she might get upset?” AJ chuckled.
“You enjoy teasing me don’t you?”
“It’s become a hobby, yes.”
“I don’t ever see you teasing Kori,” he pointed out observantly. Ashley shrugged.
“It’s not as easy with her anymore. We’re getting some of it back but I don’t think we will ever truly be the same again…” she vented. “Not as long as she keeps running…”
“You two seemed okay the other day after spending the afternoon alone together.”
“Yeah…it was nice. We got to talk some but then it got cut short when I found out what happened to my baby,” Ashley answered, the last part scooping Abbie up into her arms and cuddling her close. “It was like total bliss when she acted like a real sister and helped me get ready for my date with Nick…that was so perfect just me and her…no Wiley…”
“Are you ever going to get used to Wiley and cut him some slack?” AJ questioned as he reached over with one hand and gently took her hand into his and he squeezed it to tell her he is on her side and was just asking.
“I’m already used to Wiley. This has nothing to do with my being a rape victim anymore. I know he is safe…if he wasn’t he would’ve attacked by now…and he obviously loves my sister, she’s made it clear that she loves him and I’m happy for them both…I’m even okay with it.”
“But?”
“I’m jealous…” AJ nodded telling her that he understands and he squeezed her hand once again to let her know she can go on. “I look at the two of them and I see how happy he makes her, I see the smile on her face and I feel a mixture of emotions all at once. I’m really truly happy for her…and I even love him for making her so happy believe it or not…but then I also feel like I’ve been replaced. I used to make her happy like that too…we used to be best friends, we used to do everything together, we used to be able to talk about anything and everything and now I sometimes find myself struggling on what to say to her. I hardly know her these days…the day she ran away she created a huge gap between us…and I try reaching for her through that gap but I can’t because she is too far. As much as I love him for making her so happy I also envy the man because he knows her better then I do. He’s spent all those years that she was gone with her and I had no idea that she was even alive anymore…and then with an exception of the other day, everytime I want to spend time with her and try to connect with her again…he’s there.”
“So why don’t you tell her how you feel?”
“Some things are better left unsaid. She’s in love with him…and I’m trying to be the supportive sister. I don’t want to create an even bigger gap between us.” AJ didn’t reply he only brought her hand up and kissed it as he drove in silence and became more bitter toward Kori. How can she be so selfish? Her sister loves her so much and is willing to sacrifice so much just so that she can bury her pain even further. It’s not right. He’s going to make it right. If Ashley isn’t going to fight for her sister then he is going to take matters into his own hands. He feels he’s been pretty lenient on Kori. Well not anymore…things are going to change.
~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile back in Florida, Sean and Trevor ended up not being able to leave Kentucky until eleven thirty last night because that was when Conner’s taxi had finally arrived in town. The taxi had dropped him off at a coffee shop and he walked the rest of the way to the motel not wanting to risk any exposure to Sean and Trevor. He talked with Sean and Trevor, and was told what his job was, and then the two of them set off for their journey home while Conner stayed with Max. By the time they had made it back to the house they walked inside expecting to find Shelly there but she was not. Instead, they found a note taped to the refrigerator. Sean ripped it off and began reading it and Trevor read it over his shoulder.
Sean,
I can’t take it anymore. Our marriage has completely fallen apart. It is pointless staying with you when I’ve known for a very long time that you don’t love me anymore anyway. Your heart has been somewhere else. You can pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about, but I know you better then you think. So stop kidding yourself. I’m moving in with Nathan. You don’t have to worry about me exposing you…your secrets are safe with me. But please just let me go…you and I both know that you will be much happier without me and vise versa. Shelly.
Sean rolled his eyes and crumbled the note.
“Good riddance,” he muttered and he tossed the paper to the garbage can and he turned and looked at Trevor who remained very quiet. He was standing there with his hands in his pockets staring at the ground.
“I’m going to go take a shower and then you and I are going out. You promised me drugs.”
“Are you sure you want to ruin it? You’ve been doing so well.”
“I think I deserve an award for doing so well.”
“So I’ll order take out – your favorite food and we’ll hang out here and watch movies and think of nothing but how good the food is and how long it’s been since we haven’t worried about stressful things. That can be your reward.” Sean shook his head.
“You promised,” he insisted. Trevor opened his mouth to protest but Sean was already out of the kitchen. Trevor shook his head and then his eyes roamed over to the garbage can where Sean had tossed Shelly’s note. He eyed it for a few moments from a distance, and then he went over, pulled it from the garbage and he opened it up and began reading the one sentence that Shelly had written over and over again in his head. Your heart has been somewhere else. It only took ten minutes for Sean to shower and get dressed into clean clothes and when he came downstairs he found Trevor sitting on the couch in the living room with his head rested against the back of the couch and his eyes were closed. Sean went over and sat next to him and he lightly nudged Trevor’s arm. Trevor opened his eyes and looked up at him startled. He had been so relaxed he didn’t hear him come down.
“I’m ready.” Trevor nodded and he stood up. He went to his safe and did the combination before opening it up and he took out two guns. He handed one to Sean and put the other in his pocket.
“Just incase,” he insisted and he followed Sean out of the house. They locked it up behind them, got back in the car and headed for a house that they know belongs to a drug dealer. One of the most dangerous drug dealers they know, but the best. It only took twenty minutes to get there, but when they arrived the two of them got out of the car and walked up to the porch and they knocked on the door. Trevor gently took hold of Sean’s shirt protectively as he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach about this. But he knew talking Sean out of this wasn’t going to happen. When the door opened they found a man on the other side, he was dressed in a white wife beater revealing his tattooed slightly muscular arms and a pair of blue jeans and he had a cigarette in his hand. His long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. He raised his eyebrow at the sight of Sean and Trevor standing before him.
“Sean…Trevor…what brings you two on my doorstep so early in the morning?” he asked while opening the door further and stepping aside as in invitation for them to come in. Trevor walked in front of Sean and entered the house taking the lead and Sean followed. As soon as they were inside the man closed the door behind them. Trevor did not like this. The feeling of being closed in. He looked around to see two other guys sitting around at a table where they appeared to have been playing cards before they arrived.
“Hey Charlie…Sean wants to buy some drugs from you, we’re all out.” Trevor explained.
“Just Sean? Not you too?” Trevor shook his head.
“Not this time…someone has to keep a clear mind, after all.”
“I see,” Charlie replied and he went over and set his cigarette down in the ashtray not bothering to put it out before turning to face his guests again. “I understand completely. Someone has to be there to do Sean’s dirty work after all, while he gets wasted away on drugs and hides behind them.” Sean narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth to argue when Trevor placed a firm warning hand on his shoulder telling him that this is not the time or place to be losing his temper.
“So will you sell some to us?” He questioned.
“Give me one good reason why I should…” Charlie demanded.
“If you know what’s good for you, you will.” Sean muttered from behind Trevor and Trevor closed his eyes nervously. When he opened them again the two guys who were sitting at the table were standing up beside Charlie now, their arms crossed and they were all looking at Sean dangerously, the two guys at Charlie’s side just dying to lash out. Trevor placed him self directly in front of Sean. He was not going to let anything happen to him even if he had to put himself into harms way. He was not going to let his best friend get roughed up by druggies just because he can’t control his temper. And quite frankly, he is sick and tired of everybody saying he doesn’t do shit when he’s done so much that no one else even has the balls to do. Like rescue an inmate from jail – that inmate being himself and he owes everything to Sean for that.
“We have the money, there’s your reason,” he spoke up hoping to save the damage Sean’s temper had done.
“Well that’s new.” Trevor raised his eyebrow.
“Have we not always paid you for our drugs?”
“You mean to tell me you had nothing at all to do with Thomas’ thieving years ago? Your friend?” he asked, looking directly at Sean over Trevor’s shoulder.
“If we were, wouldn’t you have killed us right a long with him?”
“I don’t trust you. I’ve never trusted you and the only reason I’ve been so nice to you the past few years is because I needed you. But now I don’t need you for a single thing and we’re getting quite sick of the both of you using us for your dirty work. We’re not going to do it anymore.”
“Fine then. We’ll go somewhere else,” Trevor replied, and he grabbed Sean’s hand and started to lead him toward the door.
“Not so fast.”
“Change of heart?”
“You do realize, you murdered my best friend yesterday.”
“Well I guess we’re even then,” Sean spoke up again, sounding surprisingly calm. Trevor squeezed his hand.
“Oh no we’re not. You see I murdered Thomas for thieving. You murdered Cole all because he was sick and tired of hiding like the coward that you are and wanted to actually do something. Does that sound like justice to you?” Sean’s temper was beyond Trevor’s control now. Everything suddenly began to happen real fast before Trevor could stop it. Sean yanked his hand free of his grasp and dove toward Charlie, punching him hard in the face and knocking him back into the card table. Table, chairs, cards, and the ashtray with Charlie’s cigarette went flying. Sean was ontop of him almost instantly throwing punches and Trevor dove after them to back his best friend up. Charlie’s two friends grabbed Sean off of him and sent him flying against a wall. One began beating on him while the other went for Trevor. But Trevor reacted fast at the panic of seeing his best friend pinned to the wall. He yanked his gun that he so smartly brought a long from his pocket and he shot the guy coming at him in the chest. At the sound of the gunshot, the guy beating on Sean looked their way and saw his buddy’s eyes grow wide with shock and pain.
“NO!!!!” he shrieked, and he rushed out to catch him before he could hit the ground. He lay him down gently and stared at him, his eyes full of tears for a few moments and then he dove for Trevor when another gun sounded and he stopped short in his tracks. Sean had pulled his gun out as he lay on the floor against the wall bloody and bruised, and shot him in the back before he could attack Trevor. He fell back against his best friend and no one bothered to catch him. Just then out of nowhere, Charlie dove at Sean causing his gun to go flying across the floor. The two of them resumed throwing punches at each other and Trevor dove ontop of them in attempt to rescue his friend, only to be sucked into the fight too. The three of them struggled for awhile, until eventually Charlie tried to snatch Trevor’s gun. They yanked and pulled on it until suddenly Charlie’s finger slipped on the trigger just as it had been pointed at Sean. There was a loud gunshot and Trevor’s cry.
“NO!!!!!!!” Sean’s eyes went wide in pain. “NO! NO! NO! NO!” Trevor continued to shout, tears falling from his eyes. He looked at Charlie full of rage who was just lying there grinning with satisfaction. He threw Charlie off of Sean and he dove at him punching him repeatedly in the face. “YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!” He shouted. “I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!” After a few more punches, he grabbed the gun and he pointed it straight into Charlie’s face and he shot him right in the head twice and he was dead. He got up then leaving the gun ontop of Charlie and he turned to Sean, dropping to his knees with tears rolling down his face at the sight of his best friend lying there gasping for breath. He looked him over to see how badly injured he was and saw he had been shot in the side.
“Oh Sean…no…stay with me, stay with me buddy please…” he pleaded.
“It...H-hurts...” he gasped. “Trevor…”
“I know I’m going to fix you it’s going to be okay.”
“I…I’m dying…”
“NO YOU’RE NOT! DON’T YOU SAY THAT!” Trevor shouted.
“I…hurt…so bad…”
“Come on,” Trevor ordered as he suddenly smelled smoke and realized that Charlie’s cigarette had started a fire. He stood up and lifted Sean up over his shoulder and he struggled to carry him outside. He hurried the best he could to the car. He opened the door and lay him in the back seat and he took off his shirt, pulled Sean’s up and placed his own shirt to his wound. He grabbed Sean’s hand and placed it to the wound.
“I know you’re weak baby but I need you to hold that.”
“I…”
“HOLD IT DAMNIT!” Sean placed his hand to the shirt, for once obeying Trevor. “Good…that’s good…it’s going to be okay. We’ll be home in just a second,” He promised and he shut the door, got in the driver’s side and had barely shut his own door before he was speeding off toward their house just as Charlie’s burst into flames. He was there in five seconds. He threw open his door and rushed to Sean’s. He yanked his door open and he helped him out of the car, wrapping his arm around his waist and he began to guide him into the house as quickly as he could. When he got in there, he lay him down on the couch and he went to the closet and pulled out his medical stuff and he went back to Sean and immediately set to work.
“I love you Trevor…” he whispered weakly.
“Stop that! Don’t you dare tell me that! Not now when you think you’re dying because you’re NOT.” Trevor demanded as he worked to get the bullet out. Sean cried out in pain as he felt Trevor find it and pull it out.
“TREVOR IT HURTS, MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP!” He cried.
“I know, I know I’m fixing it hold on…you’re going to be okay.” He reassured as he got out stuff to do stitches with. It took Trevor thirty agonizing minutes to stitch the bullet wound up in Sean’s side and when he finally finished he lifted his bloody shirt up and over his head.
“It hurts,” Sean reminded as tears rolled down his face.
“I know. It’s going to for a few days...maybe a week. You’ve been shot in the side. I took the bullet out and you’ve been stitched up. I’m going to go get some pain killers out of the medicine cabinet and I want you to sleep. Do you hear me?” Sean nodded weakly and Trevor got up with Sean’s bloody shirt and he made a trip to the laundry room before going into the kitchen to their medicine cabinet – which happened to be supplied with every medicine you could possibly think of thanks to him. He got out what he thought would put Sean at ease best and he got a glass of water before going back to his patient – who just happened to be his lover and he sat on the edge of the couch and helped him take his painkillers.
“Let me take you to bed.”
“I don’t want to move, it hurts too much…” Sean whimpered.
“Is this my tough ruthless killer acting like a baby?” Sean scowled at him.
“Me? A ruthless killer? All I do is do drugs and hide behind people.” Trevor rolled his eyes.
“If you let those assholes – who are now dead I must add get to you, then maybe they’re right.” He told him, and he got up and carefully helped Sean up from the couch before wrapping his arm around his waist letting him lean against him and he began to guide him up the stairs. Sean made faces after taking each step.
“We need to install an elevator,” he complained.
“We’re almost there,” Trevor encouraged. When they finally reached the top he took him to his own room instead of his and he brought him to his bed and helped him lay down and he covered him up.
“Don’t leave me,” Sean protested as Trevor started for the door.
“I will be right back I promise you. Close your eyes and get some sleep.” He insisted and he continued to walk out of the room. He went downstairs again and he went and started the laundry before cleaning up his medical stuff and he grabbed the painkillers incase Sean needs more later and he went back upstairs. When he got up there Sean was lying there with his eyes closed. Thinking he was asleep he placed the painkillers on the nightstand before going over and crawling into bed behind him. He slid his arms around him from behind as he pulled the blanket up so it was cover himself too before resting his head on the same pillow that Sean had his on. Much to his surprise though, Sean leaned into him.
“Am I allowed to tell you that I love you now?” he asked softly and Trevor chuckled a little as he hugged him closer.
“It is a must.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” he whispered in his ear. “It would have killed me if I lost you today.”
“Well, good thing you’re doctor right?”
“Mhm…it’s a very good thing. Get some sleep…I’ll be right here.” At Trevor’s command, Sean closed his eyes and was asleep almost instantly.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter.
Enjoy =)
Enjoy =)
