Getting It Together

A Blue Birthday

Alejo shifted anxiously in their seat, another silent tear rolling down their face. The car had been driving for a bit, scenery rushing past too fast for Alejo to try and figure out where Pascal was taking them.

Logan was in the front seat, buckled in, his head lolled to the side, resting against the cold window. A small amount of dried blood stained his forehead.

Pascal hummed as he made another turn, pulling into the parking lot of a storage facility.

"Here we are!" Pascal chirps, unbuckling the still passed-out Logan and getting out of the car. "You'll only stay here a bit. I just have to get Gio, and we're all set."

For a moment, Alejo thought maybe Florencio and Jory were safe, that Pascal couldn't find them or didn't want to bother.

When Pascal pulled open the storage door, revealing Jory already fast asleep and Florencio trying to get out of the ropes tying him down to a chair, that hope died.

Another tear fell.

"Stop." The words were icy as Pascal lifted the gun towards Florencio's head. His face was still bright and happy, but the look in his eyes sent shivers down Florencio's spine.

"What the fuck did you do to him?" Florencio yells, noticing Alejo's tears as he continued to struggle against his bonds. "Did you hurt him? I swear if you hurt him or Jasper!"

"Let me say it again." Pascal moves the gun, the chamber pressed against Alejo's temple. "Stop."

Alejo squeezes his eyes shut, whimpering quietly as they protectively held Jasper to their chest."F-Flores, please...I-I don't wa-want to...To drop...Ja-Jasper-" A sob escaped Alejo's throat.

"You should listen to Alejo, Flores. Honestly, you're thirty...Ohh, wait.." A cruel smile slipped onto Pascal's face. "You're thirty-one today, aren't you? Oh, how silly of me to forget my brother's birthday!"

Pascal presses closer to Alejo. Alejo's hands began to shake with fear.

"Happy birthday, you two!" Pascal smiles, nudging Alejo down onto another chair. "Now, stay put while I go get Logan, and maybe I'll get you a nice surprise to go along with our reunion dinner tomorrow!"

Pascal leaves and Florencio immediately starts flooding Alejo with questions.

"Is Jasper okay? Did he hurt you? Alejo, Alejo, he didn't tie you up! Come untie me! We could...We could look for a weapon and overpower him!"

Wrong. They could never overpower Pascal. They could never escape him. He would always find them, no matter what they did or where they went.

Alejo looks down at Jasper, stifling more tears as they shakily smile down at their baby."It's going to be okay Jasey. We just have to keep him happy and he won't hurt you." He whispers, sniffling.

"Al‽ Alejo, he's-"

The door opens and Pascal steps in carrying Logan. "I'm what?"

Logan whined softly in his sleep, shifting closer to Pascal, who smiled down at him blissfully.

"Nothing..." Florencio stared down at the floor as Pascal gently laid Logan down.

"M'kay, all set!" Pascal beams, tousling Jory's short curls. "See everybody very soon! And once we get home, it's straight to bed! It'll be very late."

"With your knockout gas, I presume?" Florencio asks snarkily.

Pascal freezes, turning to look back at Florencio. He walks over, bending down and lifting Florencio's chin with his gun, looking him square in the eye. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Florencio."

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