Coveted {FINISHED}

|Chapter Fourteen |

I sat in the back of the cop car with my eyes glued to the passing scenes out of the window, raindrops blurring the different shades of grey into a messy moving picture. All my emotions were numbed, my body just sitting slightly rocking against the uncomfortable leather with Shane and Jeremy next to me.

Would Danny be there waiting? Would I even be able to see Ian and Regan?

I pushed the questions from my head feeling my palms clam up only to have a worse one race around inside my skull. Ian was an empath, he picked up on the emotions around him, could heighten them if he can't control it and prison . . . All the negative emotions bouncing around him . . . It would be torture!

That I couldn't push out from my brain. Regan and Ian cramped in with a bunch of criminals and if one of them touched Regan he'd . . .

Static from one of the officer's radios cut through the car caught my attention as I tore my eyes from the buildings speeding by to the front. Whatever message was passed on went right over my head.

Jeremy's hand snuck across my leg and wrapped around my wrist, I could feel his eyes resting on the side of my face waiting with a gentle smile.

But I couldn't look at him.

I knew what this meant. This drive, the police station all of it. The minute I get out of this car, the minute Regan and Ian are free and I've opened my mouth to utter an excuse to those officers, Danny'll be right behind.

Even if I were to run with them, leave with the brothers . . . It wouldn't fix anything.

At some point, it would all go wrong, just like it did now. Hell, it could always be worse but I wasn't gonna wait around for worse. I'm too weak, to tell the truth, and They would do everything it took to keep me safe, even if it destroyed them and their family. If I can't save myself . . . No one else should be doing it for me.

"Nancy it's not-"

"I know," I muttered cutting him off, my eyes falling closed. "I know."

There was no point arguing. I just wanted to get there as soon as possible. The different scenarios I could be walking into bashed around my head, each one wanting a turn in the spotlight as I sighed rubbing my temples. One way or another, I needed to see them. I was safe and alive and there was no investigation to be held - one thing was for certain, I wouldn't be in that place for long.

I could feel Jeremy tense beside me, his hand tightening one last time before letting go completely and sneaking back to rest on his knee. Shane hadn't attempted to talk to me once, he probably could see my aura or some next supernatural tool. Regardless, the rest of the ride went by quietly, the air thick and tense with constant sharp glares from the officer in the review mirror.

By the time we had pulled into town and beside a tall large structure, all built from red brick towering dull above all the other buildings surrounding it, the sky had turned a misty grey, the air nipping at our skins as we stepped out and followed the officer up the small stone steps and towards the double glass doors.

Shane snuck around to my left and Jeremy to the right, both keeping close to me but leaving a few inches so I could walk ahead. The doors automatically opened to reveal a plain white room with a desk at the end and waiting lounges to the side with various grey sofas scattered about. The whole place seemed empty if it weren't for the muffled laughs coming from the back.

The closer we got to the desk, the more I could see of the door to the right-left slightly ajar and the large screen glass spread across the wall behind the wooden desk wrapping around the whole of the back wall.

"Wait here a moment please." The officer ordered before reaching across the desk and knocking hard on the screen until a head of fluffy red curls bounced up into view. A frown immediately crossed his newly tanned faced as his green eyes scrunched up at the sides landing directly on us. Without another glance, he packed up whatever he was doing below the screen and hurried over with a quick chirp back to one of his colleagues. He appeared a few seconds later from the door letting it fall completely shut behind him as he took long strides towards us and greeting the officer. "Sir, this is the missing girl, she-"

"Ah. The girl who couldn't be bothered to pick up a phone and let her boyfriend, family, and friends know she was alive and well?" He muttered, his eyes narrowing in on me. "I'm glad to see you are perfectly well although I have to wonder why on earth not a single one of you bothered to let anyone know you were okay. Do you realize the stress and worry you imposed on those who love you? The number of resources you drained that could have been put to use on cases that actually needed it?"

I kept my eyes glued to the ground letting his words rain over me. I know he was right, every word of it but it wasn't as clear-cut as that. We weren't running around laughing at them throwing them in circles! Yet, I just stood there silently.

"Listen, we're really sorry. Please, can we see our brothers?" Jeremy asked quickly, his voice shaking a little.

He looked so lost without his older brothers. 

Both officers went quiet for a moment longer before the main one spoke up again, "We'll take you to see them but both have been incredibly troublesome, almost landed themselves some time if you hadn't have come when you did. Anyway, follow me."

He led the way towards the door but instead of turning to the left where the staff room and the screen doors lay, he took us down the green cement steps into a cold airy basement large enough to stretch under the town. A railed gate stood separating us from the multiple cells and within seconds he had produced the keys and pushed the old iron gate open. "One last thing,"

He breathed coming to a sudden halt to face us, his green beady eyes fell on me once more, "We still have questions for all of you. Nancy Drew, then Mr Surfer and your siblings." I nodded along with Shane and Jeremy as he turned to lead us to Ian and Regan.

Funny thing was, it was only then with the cold breeze and stale smell of piss that I let a breath go, Danny wasn't here. He wasn't here.

I followed behind the officer, our footsteps fading into the screeching grunts of prisoners as we passed a few cells until coming to a stop. Everything the officer was mumbling fell into death ears as my eyes peered in-between the black bars, trying to peel faces apart until I saw them.

Jeremy ran in front, his hands wrapping around the bars as he cried out to his older brothers, Shane's shoulders relaxing slightly. Regan hurried over, his eyes frantic as he wrapped his pale hands around Jeremy's wrists. "You have to get Ian out." He whispered.

That's when I saw Ian crawled up in a ball tucked into the furthest corner between the bars and the wooden slab acting as a bench. The two men occupying the cell with them snickered as Ian mumbled over and over again shaking his head between his hands. His once tanned skin seemed littered with a hue of green, his eyes tightly shut.

"Ian," I breathed, sinking down beside him, my hands pressing to the ground under my feet in fear that if he'd somehow connected to my emotions it would throw him over. He didn't react.

"Seems like some quality cell time did your boy some good. Came in like a raging savage and now look at him! Bet that'll teach him." The officer grunted with a grin as he unlocked the cell, Regan reaching for Ian and yanking him to his feet as they quickly got out. "As I said, there's still a lot of questions-"

"Are you serious?!" I cried,

"Officer please, I'll stay and answer all your questions but my brother needs to go home." Regan tried only to be met with another refusal. After another minute of useless arguing, we finally gave in as Jeremy helped Ian into the interrogation room. The rest of us littered the waiting area, my eyes anxiously running from the ticking clock ahead to the front doors.

Did they call him?

"Nancy," Regan's voice settling down beside me on the uncomfortable blue sofas, startled my thoughts as I turned my head to face him. "How are you?"

"I don't think I'm the one who matters right now," I replied, my eyes glued to the ground again. "I'm sorry. All this mess, everything that Ian's going through right now- that . . . that's on me."

"No, it's not-"

"Yes, it is," I stated again cutting him off.

"Look, Nancy, you shouldn't be here-"

"Why? Because my ex might walk in and find me?" I snapped, not meaning to aim at him but more the situation. Either way, the guilt was turning into anger and I think I preferred it that way. Somehow being pissed off at yourself just seemed far easier than whatever the hell I'd been doing before. "All this crap because of me and my life choices or lack of. You should have never tried to help me, you can't. Not with this. The best thing you can do right now is to stop spending your time worrying about a girl you barely know and start worrying about your brothers."

Forcing my eyes away, I stood up and strode towards the double doors, my heart beating away in my chest as I placed my hand on the cool glass. I had to make a choice. I just hoped that this time . . . I was making the right one.

"I need some air," I muttered, before hurrying out the station into the darkening street. The wind whipped at my cheeks, the pavement lights now blaring their yellow glow out across every brick possible and my eyes widening at every passing vehicle. I took a seat on the last step and pulled my knees to my chest, letting my arms wrap themselves around.

Not in a million years did ya ever think you'd be sitting here. But alas! Here we are . . . pulling that self-petty party theme again.

So much was happening in the space of less than a week and now it felt like I held the weight of the world on my shoulders. The more the days went on, the more it felt like I was balancing four lives and keeping an extra one tucked under the covers.

And yet the only one with the power to change it is you. 

Wow.

See . . . whatever that is was so much worse than just yelling at me!

Cause I'm right?

Yeah . . . I'm like a hundred per cent sure arguing with yourself if a sign of the crazies.

I stayed outside until finally, it was my turn to be interrogated except all it ended up being was twenty minutes of being told off. When we had finally been let go, all three brothers turned to look at me with Ian sat silently staring at his collapsed hands between his legs.

"We need to get you back to the mansion before your ex-arrives."

"Firstly, we've been here for almost two hours. I'm pretty sure they haven't called him and secondly . . . when did he become my ex?"

"Should have been when he first hit you but then again, if you were stupid then don't see why it should be any different now." The coldness leaking from his words left us all in shock as Ian stood towering above his brothers with his eyes narrowed at me.

Why was it always me?!

That being said, the shock shouldn't really matter considering this seemed to be turning into a pattern. Except for this time, I refused to take the bait.

"You're right. I should have left the first time." I muttered, feeling all their eyes fix firmly on me as I crossed my arms. "But I didn't, and I paid for it every day since. I'm sorry for the mess I've gotten you all in but that's exactly why I can't leave with you."

"So going back is?" Jeremy yelled rushing over to me.

"I'm not going back but I'm not going with you either," I replied, keeping my eyes far from Regan's and Ian's.

"So . . . where?" He asked, this time his voice was quieter, less panicked.

I took a deep breath trying to rack my brain for the answer. Here I was sprawling out plans that were half figured out, but it was better than whatever kind of lingo we were dancing around in right now. I let my arms fall to my sides as I dug my teeth into my bottom lip until it hit me.

It couldn't be better!

"The camp." Jeremy's eyebrows rose and for a second, I thought I saw Shane's lips twitch into a small smile. "That's what it's there for right? A shelter for those who need it? That's where I'll stay. I'll be safe, and you guys won't have to use your . . . powers. . ." It still feels weird saying that. "Danny won't find me, and I'll be okay." And still close.

There was silence for a few moments before there was a grunt of agreement from Regan. Ian however still refused to look up at me even as we entered the cab to go home.

Just like the ride here, I kept my eyes glued out of the window except for this time the only thought consuming my mind was where was Danny? Why hadn't he shown? It didn't make any sense. All those visions, all those nights fearing someone who what, simply moved on?

My whole body froze, the hairs on my arms standing up as my stomach sank into the pit of my stomach. I had dodged a bullet today, what started out so hectic resolved itself in a matter of hours. Ian was safe, angry as hell, but safe and so was Regan.

Yet there was still a missing puzzle piece and I knew, this wouldn't be the end of it.

My great plan wouldn't last for long.