All the Faint Lights

Chapter Thirty Six
-Caroline-
"Where are you taking me, James? I need to get to the studio," I said from the passenger seat as James drove through some streets of Pittsburgh, if it even was still Pittsburgh, that I didn't recognize.

"You'll see," he said and I sighed and started to tap my leg, that didn't last long because I felt James' hand on my leg to try to get me to calm down, "I know you're nervous, but just breathe."

"I wouldn't be nervous if I knew where you were taking me," I muttered and heard James chuckle. We came up to an old building that had some cars parked around it. I didn't like this area, it was very sketchy and I was surprised that James would take me here, "Where are we?"

He didn't answer me, he parked the car and then got out and walked over towards my side because I didn't really want to get out. I literally clung to James as we walked up to the building and went through the big old wooden doors. I could hear people talking, but didn't really understand what they were saying.

"Can I help you?" I heard and we turned to see a girl that looked to be my age, she was a little skinnier than me and had bright red dyed hair.

"Uh yeah, I'm looking for Brittany," James stated and I looked at him confused.

'...At least he knows what's going on...' I thought as the girl nodded her head and told us to stay where we were before she walked away, "All right! James, what's going on?" I asked and James was about to speak when another woman, an older one showed up and smiled towards us.

"Hi, you must be James and Caroline," the woman said as she walked over towards us and shook our hands, "Please, follow me."

'...What the hell is this place?...' I thought as we walked down the hallway and I looked into a room to see a girl beaten and skinny, my eyes widened and when we walked past a girl that had a burn on the side of her face, a guy that had scars on his arms and bruises on his face, "What is this place?"

"A safe haven," the woman known as Brittany said, "Here we are," she opened a door and ushered us inside.

"How do those people look safe?" I asked as James and I sat on the couch in her office.

"They are now," she said and I gulped, getting the feeling that I knew what this place was, "They weren't before."

"Why did you bring me here?" I snapped my head towards James.

"To try and help you-"

"James told me what happened, Caroline," Brittany said and I glared at him, "Now I know that you have a loving feeling towards your father, but abuse, whether it's one slap or above, is still abuse."

"That girl," I muttered, looking towards the ground.

"The one with the burns on her face?" Brittany asked and I nodded her head, "Her mother held her face over an open flame because she believed that her daughter was prettier than her. Lisa was nine when her mother did that to her, she's been with us for seven years."

"Oh my god," my eyes widened and Brittany nodded her head. James squeezed my thigh and I gripped his arm.

-James-
'...This is good, she's listening to her...' I thought as I sat back and watched as Brittany talked to Caroline about how even though it didn't feel right about going through with possibly putting her father in jail, it was the right thing to do.

After sitting with Brittany for an hour, I really believed that Caroline was going to be all right. We both stood up and Brittany walked over towards us and shook our hands.

"It's going to be all right Caroline, you have a lot of people who care about you and would do anything for you. Everything is going to be all right," Brittany said and Caroline nodded her head and then looked at me.

"Ready?" I asked and Caroline nodded her head and I laced my fingers with hers. Brittany walked us to the door and then watched as we walked towards my car. I opened the door for Caroline and helped her inside and then walked over towards my door and got in. Caroline punched my arm and I looked at her shocked, "Ow! what was that for?" She gave me a small smile and then leaned over the middle and pressed her lips onto mine.

"Thank you," she breathed as she pulled back and sat back in her seat.

I smiled toward her and laced my fingers with hers and kissed her hand, "You're welcome."

"Don't ever bring me back here again," she said and I nodded my head, she wasn't looking at me when she said that, she was looking out the window and I could hear the sadness in her voice, "That was too much."

"I know, but it helped," I said and then drove out of the parking lot and headed back towards the city to bring Caroline towards the studio so that she could practice the music that she was going to sing for the competition in April.

When I dropped Caroline off, I saw Trisha in the window and smiled towards her, giving her the idea that today had gone good and that I didn't think that we needed to worry anymore. Caroline peaked her head into the window and I smiled towards her, "I'll talk to you later, Car."

"All right, have a good nap," she said and I smiled and nodded my head.

I had to get home and get some sort of nap before our game against the Panthers tonight, "I'll call you after the game."

"I'll be waiting," she said and I smirked and nodded my head, sad that she wasn't going to come to the game, but knowing that she needed to work on her music.

-Caroline-
"It's late Linny, you're still here?" Gordon asked as he walked downstairs and saw my messing around on the piano.

"Yeah, sorry, wanted to finish this song," I said and Gordon smirked and sat down next to me.

"Can I hear?"

"No! It's for the competition," I said and then laughed when he pouted.

"We'll we're ready for it," he smirked and I patted his leg.

"You're still gunna lose," I said and he scoffed.

"We'll see about that," he laughed and then stopped when my phone started to ring, "Who's that?"

"James," I said as I saw that it was text, James was wondering if I wanted to come over.

"So you are actually dating Mr. Asshole," Gordon laughed.

"He's not an asshole, I don't know what before was, but now- He's very sweet," I smiled, staring at his name on my phone.

"Just as long as he takes care of you," Gordon said as he swung his arm around my shoulder and kissed the side of my head, "You know, when Asher and I were in your room the other day, I think it made Asher happy to see that he was above the sheets when you were under, nice to know that you're taking things slow."

"Sure, let's go with that," I giggled and Gordon rolled his eyes.

"So you've slept together?" he asked and I gasped and slapped his chest, "Ow, ok, sorry!"

"None of your business!"

"Ok fine, go! Don't keep lover boy waiting," he said and I smirked and then quickly cleaned all of my stuff up and walked over towards the door, "Hey Lin!" I turned around, "I just want you to know, I'm not ready to be an Uncle!"

"Gordon!" I yelled, staring at him with shock as he laughed and walked towards the staircase that lead to the upper apartment. I knew my face was red from what Gordon said, "Jerk."

I walked outside and over towards Trisha's car, James had picked me up from home this morning and then Sidney had picked Trisha up from her on his way to the arena, she had left her keys with me. I drove to James' house and smiled when I saw his front porch light turn on as I pulled up. He walked outside in pajama bottoms when I got out of the car and I smiled as I bounced onto the porch.

"Score?"

"Three to one," James smiled, "Yours truly scored the winning goal," I squealed and then jumped into his arms and kissed his cheek, "You didn't watch the game?"

"No, sorry, I was writing a song all day."

"Can I hear it-"

"At the competition," I said and he sighed but kissed my cheek and nodded his head.

James pulled my into the house, away from the cold air and took my jacket off, after her closed and locked the door, "You have way too much clothes on."

I giggled as I turned back towards James and looked him up and down, running my fingers down his chest and stomach, ending just above the hem of his pajama bottoms, "You do too."