Getting Away With You

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^*Brian’s POV*^
As I lay there in bed, my back killing me, my head swimming from pain meds, and my insides feeling shredded, I couldn’t help but smile at Matt’s words. ‘Your stepfather’s dead.’ Chase was dead. It was over. It was all over. The pain, the suffering, the hiding, the running, the killing, and the fear…it was all gone. Our life long nightmare had finally come to an end.

“R-really?” I asked and he nodded, a smile creeping upon his face as well.

“He’s dead. It’s over.” Those were the greatest words I had ever heard. “We don’t have to run anymore. We don’t have to fear for every second of our lives.” He smiled wider. “We’re free.”

“Is…Danni okay?” I asked and he nodded.

“She’s fine. Thanks to you.” Matt sat back in the chair. “I-I feel like I owe you my life now for doing that. I don’t know what possessed me to even try and hurt her…” He trailed off.

“Love.” I said simply. “She told you to do it… You loved her…and would do anything for her.” I said and he nodded.

“I guess you’re right.” He sighed. “I’m just glad you were there…”

“Where is she?” I asked, taking another deep breath.

“She feels bad about you nearly dying trying to save her life.” He said and I was slightly hurt, but I was high on pain medication still and I was slightly out of it.

“Hey,” I stated. “I didn’t try…I succeeded.”

“Still jacked up on meds?” Matt asked with a chuckle and I nodded.

“Fuckin’ loaded.”

“Thought so.” He said and I took yet another deep breathe, feeling my right lung hurt slightly.

“Can you get…Danielle down here?” I asked him and he looked at me indifferently.

“I don’t know, she’s kind of-”

“I don’t give a fuck…if she’s having labor pains…get her down here…before I tear a stitch.” I said, and he looked at me oddly.

“She’s not pregnant.”

“Meds.” I stated, then took a breath. “So many fuckin’ meds.” I stretched out my words and he nodded and stood up.

“I’ll try.” He said and I smiled at him. “I’ll be back.”

“Not without Danni.” I said and he rolled his eyes as he walked to the door.

“God you’re fucked up and still pushy…”

“I’m having difficulty breathing…not hearing.” I said and closed my eyes as I heard Matt laugh and shut the door. I really hope he can get Danni down here so I can talk to her. I’m not in here because of her. I’m in here because I wanted to die for a reason, not just because my stepfather finally grew the balls to shoot me, but because I saved someone else from being killed by something he set up. I also thought my life was over. Apparently, I was wrong.

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^*Danielle’s POV*^
As every second passed I seemed to sink deeper into my thoughts about my parents; about Brian. I had been staring at my phone now since Matt left. I just put it back in my pocket after a while, not having the mental strength to turn it on.

“Danni?” I heard Freak’s voice, but I couldn’t bring myself to look over at him. “Hey, you okay?” He asked softly as he came over. “Matt told me to come by.”

“Oh.” I muttered, and sunk back into my quilt.

“Is something wrong?” He asked and I shook my head.

“No.” I whispered, and he looked over at the clock on the wall.

“How much longer until Matt gets back, you think?” He asked and I shrugged. A phone rang but it was quickly answered. “Yea, I’m here. I don’t know, I think something may be wrong.” I heard Freak’s voice, barely above a whisper. “Okay, stand by, I’ll be there soon, just let me take care of this.” He said, and then a heard the sound of a phone flipping shut. I felt him get off of the couch, and just as I looked over towards him a gun was pointed at me. Freak’s gun.

“Wh-what are you doing?” I asked shakily, and he shrugged.

“Let’s just say Matt made a mistake, and you’re going to be a message to him.” Freak grinned; that signature grin of his that creeped me out.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m going to kill you. I like you, don’t get me wrong, but I have to do this.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, Danni. I truly am. But you and the guys aren’t free yet, and neither am I.” At his words I darted off of the couch just as he pulled the trigger. I ran towards the stairs, and a bullet hit the stairs right next to my foot, but I continued up the staircase. I ran into the first bedroom, -Brian’s- and shut the door, quickly locking it. I looked over to the nightstand for a gun, but instead I found something better; Brian’s cell phone. I picked it up and went through his address book, searching until I found Matt’s name. I clicked call and put it to my ear.

“Um, hello?” I heard Matt answer unsurely.

“Matt, Freak’s trying to kill me, you have to get back here right now!” I talked so fast I wasn’t sure if he understood me or not.

“Danni,” Freak yelled. “I’m sorry, just let me in so I can get this over with!” He continued pounding on the door with his fist.

“Matt, hurry!” I urged.

“What?! Freak’s trying to do what?!” Matt asked, his voice frantic.

“He’s got a gun and he’s-” I was cut off by a gunshot and I let out a cry. I scanned my brain for a plan and came up with one rather quickly. I went over and opened the window, and then climbed under the bed.

“I’ll be there soon, just hang tight.” I heard Matt say, and there was another gunshot. I slapped a hand over my mouth before I could let out another cry and hung the phone up. I heard the lock break with a third gunshot, and it squeaked as it opened. I listened as Freak’s boots walked over to the window. I put the phone in my pocket.

“Fuck.” Freak whispered, and I listened as it was silent for a second before I heard his footsteps echo away. I was still too afraid to move. I stayed under that bed for at least another ten minutes before I slowly began to get out from under it. I stood up and when I turned around I screamed at Freak as he jumped from the bed. I ducked and he flew into the wall. I ran to the bathroom as he got up from the floor. I slammed the door in his face and locked it. There was a gunshot as he tried to break another lock. I looked over to see another window in the bathroom. It was my only choice. I went over and opened it up, and climbed out as another gunshot made the door swing open. I made my way to the edge of the roof as I felt Freak’s eyes on me. He climbed out the window as well and stood right behind me. I looked back at him and he pulled the trigger. He missed, but the loud bang sent me off of the roof. I heard Matt’s voice, another voice I couldn’t place, and a series of gunshots, but before I could decipher any of it I hit the concrete driveway, and everything snapped to black.

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^*Matt’s POV*^
“NO!” I screamed as I got out of the car, watching as Danielle fell. I ran towards her, but she hit the concrete long before I got to her. I looked up at Freak, but he darted back inside the window. “Sonny, get him, now!” I screamed at Sonny, now very thankful I had called him and asked him to meet me here.

“Got it!” He called, and ran past me, and into the house. I turned my attention back to Danielle.
“Danni.” I stated, my voice trying to give away with me. It was my worst nightmare coming true; my nightmare of Danni being taken away from me. I picked up her wrist, sighing when I felt a heartbeat, meaning she hadn’t hit hard enough to be killed on impact. I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed nine one one.

“Nine one one, what’s your emergency?” God, don’t let me choke on my words now.

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^*Jimmy’s POV*^
“So he’s on the third floor now?” I asked Brian’s doctor, and he nodded. He had just told me they had moved Brian to a different room, all the way up on the third floor.

“Yes. And if there’s a change in his condition I’ll inform you as soon as it happens.” He said, and I nodded and he turned and walked away, back though the double doors. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes again, tired as hell. Just as I got my eyes closed, furious voices made me open my eyes. I looked over as a stretcher came through, and paramedics frantically rushed around as nurses ran in. I brushed it off and closed my eyes again as I settled back in my chair.

“But I have to go back-” A familiar voice rang out, loud, and sounding upset. I opened my eyes to see Matt standing at the double doors leading into the back of the ER, two nurses standing in front of him, preventing him from going any further.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t-” A nurse began, but he harshly cut her off, taking a step forward to where he was inches away from the two young girls, towing over them.

“YOU DON’T FUCKING UNDERSTAND I-” He was suddenly cut off as the security guard behind the desk stood up abruptly, his hand on his gun. Matt calmed down, taking a step back and holding his hands up. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” He took a deep breath. “Sorry.” He muttered, and turned around as one of the two nurses went back into the double doors, and the other went over to the security guard and whispered something in his ear, eyeing Matt the whole time. I looked back over at Matt and stood up, walking over to him.

“Matt? Is everything okay?” I asked and he turned sharply, one arm raised as if he was about to hit me. “Woah, it’s just me.” He sighed, and sat down in a chair, putting his head in his hands. “Matt,” I sat down beside him, pulling his hands away from his face, very concerned now. “What happened?”

“Freak tried to kill her.” He muttered, his voice now thick, and his eyes glazing over with a film of tears. I didn’t understand.

“Freak tried to kill who?” I asked and he just shook his head before burying his eyes back in his hands. “Matt!” I demanded, roughly jerking his hands back away from his face, this time not letting his wrists go. Just by looking in his eyes I knew who, but I didn’t want to believe it, and I didn’t want it to be true. “Who just went back there?” I asked in a shaky voice, and he took a deep breath.

“Danielle.” He whispered, and I let his wrists go as I felt my heart drop. “He tried to kill her and I don’t know why.”

“Freak?” I asked and he nodded. “Did he shoot her? What happened?”

“I’m not exactly sure what he did do, but she called me and…and she was saying that he had a gun and he was trying to kill her. I heard a gunshot, and she hung up. That’s why I rushed out of here so fast. I called Sonny, fearing the worst and had him meet me over at the house, and once I got there they were both on the roof and he tried to shoot her, but he missed, and she lost her balance and fell.” A strangled breath escaped his lips as he ran a hand down his face, a sniffle meeting my ears. “Sonny ran in after Freak, and I called nine one one. They won’t tell me anything.” He muttered, putting his head back in his hands. I looked over to Sonny as his large frame came through the automatic doors. He walked over to us, worry written all over his face.

“I-I couldn’t catch him, he just disappeared. How’s Danni?” He asked and a noise came from Matt, but I’d never heard it before, so I couldn’t exactly place it.

“We don’t know.” I whispered, and looked over at Matt at another sniffle.

“I’m going back to the house. I swear, I’ll hunt his scrawny ass down and rip him apart.” Sonny growled and I gave him an appreciative smile. “I’ll be back in a little while.” He said and I nodded and he walked off. I looked back at Matt.

“Matt, please, you’re going to suffocate.” I said, and pulled his hands back away from his face, revealing a side of Matt I had never seen before. There were tear streaks down his face, and he looked abnormal; broken.

“She’s all I really have, Jimmy.” He whispered. The emotions leaking from him were beginning to really get to me. I pulled him into a hug, one of the first we’ve shared in the last seven years I’ve known him. He punched me in the face the last time I tried to decently hug him, so I was glad he didn’t this time. He wrapped his huge arms around me, crying into my shoulder. If he even tightens his arms just a little he’ll break my ribs. I continued rubbing his back, trying to get him to stop crying because frankly, it was scaring me. I wasn’t used to him being like this. I wasn’t used to having to hug him, because generally, hugging Matt was dangerous. I didn’t like seeing him like this, either, because it broke my heart.

“It’s going to be okay, Matt. She’ll be alright.” I whispered, hoping my words weren’t just hollow lies.

“Why is it that everyone I ever become attached to has to get ripped out of my grasp?” I didn’t exactly know how to answer his question, rhetorical or not.

“Because,” I whispered, trying not to break into tears myself. “We’re just pawns in a game where life isn’t a given option.”