Beyond the Stars *Dark Louis Tomlinson*

Chapter 22

Hi guys! Sorry for the late update, but I've just been very busy. And there's a disclaimer, there's some adult content in this chapter ;) Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I've worked very hard on it. Please keep commenting and voting, I love to hear your opinions. Thank you for reading! -Erin xx  

As I tap away to the beat of a Rolling Stones song, I swear I can hear the sounds of fighting coming from outside. It's not unusual for this time of night. London can be a very harsh place and I am not the type to intervene in a fight, so I stay in the record store and mind my own business. A few moments later, a tiny shriek rings out and startles me.

I shake my head and put my head in my hands. It's best to stay out of whatever's going on out there.

My shift ends a few minutes later. I close up the shop, it being almost eleven in the evening. I lock up the front door before going out through the back alley. I walk to the parking lot, enjoying the air. It was oddly kind of warm today, and it's lasted. I'm glad it has. It's been a rather long winter, I need some warmth.

"Try not to step on me, will ya?" a ghastly voice sneers weakly.

I startle, jumping back so I don't step on the person who's lying on the ground. The dim light from the street lamps illuminates a woman who's clutching her stomach painfully. Oh fuck. I kneel down quickly, looking at the woman's face.

"Come to watch me die, lil bitch?"

"Dana?"

"Yeah, it's me," she sighs hoarsely.

I swallow a lump in my throat as I look down at her. I didn't expect it to be someone I know. No matter how cruel she is, it's still horrible to see her all broken like this.

"What are ya still doing here? Shouldn't you be rejoicing the death of the girl who tried to kill your precious boyfriend?" Dana snaps.

"What happened to you?" I question, examining her stomach wound. I lift her hand to reveal some of her intestines just barely spilling out.

I snap my eyes closed and turn the other way. Oh fuck, this is really bad. This is beyond my capacity to help. Probably beyond anyone's capacity. 

"Bad, ain't it?"

I look back at her. "Don't you worry," I advise, putting my hands to keep her insides where they belong. "I'm going to get you some help and you're going to survive and everything's going to be okay. Just hang on-"

"Lil bitch," she interrupts.

"I'll just ring an ambulance and they'll have you fixed up in no time. You stay right here and try to hang on."

"Adeline," she says. I look into her eyes. It's the first time she's used my real name. "It's no use. They can't fix what was broken a long time ago."

"No, you're going to be fine," I deny, a lump lodging itself in my throat. "It'll be okay."

"Look, just don't leave me here," she requests, accepting her fate.

There's a moment of silence between us, neither of us knowing what to say to each other. So I decide to break the silence. 

"Who did this to you?"

"The damn Russians. It was Dmitri's little assistant. He said that no one was gonna do their job for them and that they can't have anyone in their way. Then the bastard sliced my stomach."

"The Russians?" She nods as a tear streams down her face. "How much does it hurt?"

"It doesn't really hurt anymore. It did at first. Now it's just kinda numb. My body knows I'm finished, so it's tryna get rid of some a the pain so I can die in some kinda peace."