The Princess And The Fighter (Leland Chapman Love Story)

Chapter Four

Leland's POV

Sleeping doesn't feel right without Ariel. It feels... wrong. It feels like I'm just laying here, acting like I'm not worried about where she is and if she's okay. I should be out looking for her. I just... I just don't know where to start.

~~~~~

I woke up feeling very exhausted. I somehow managed to go to sleep, but I didn't get much of it, not like I could have.

I get up and get ready for work, skipping breakfast entirely. My mood isn't the greatest today, for obvious reasons.

I walk into work and sit at my desk, getting things ready for the day. As I was loading up my computer, my dad and Beth walked in and went to their office. I looked at my phone, hoping Ariel texted, but she didn't. I sigh and shove it in my pocket.

"Alright, guys, we got a jump today. Duane Lee, what's her name?" Dad said, as he was about to put a mugshot on the board. I look up and froze.

No... It can't be...

Ariel's POV

I feel so bad. I feel like a horrible person for ignoring Leland and not telling him everything. But I couldn't. He wouldn't understand. No one ever does.

I've been hiding out anywhere I can, avoiding the cops specifically. I'm currently in a bunch of giant bushes. It hides me very well. But I know I have to keep moving or else I'll be found.

You see, I have a really horrible ex. He's manipulative, verbally and physically abusive, psycho, and he's a cop. Hanging with him got me in trouble. I was supposed to have a court date to attend but was told it got moved to a later date. Well...it didn't, which caused me to miss court. It's all his doing, I'm positive of that. While he says he hates my guts, he can never stay away from me. He always has to have me. So I know he played his dirty tricks just so he can find me. And since he's a cop, I don't know which cop car he's in, so I avoid them all. I know that only makes it worse for my case, but he terrifies me.

I grab my phone and wallet and put on my white jacket, pulling the hood up. I look out the bushes to see if there's any cops around, finding none, and walk out onto the sidewalk in the quiet neighborhood.

Leland's POV

Ariel's a... a fugitive?

How? When?

None of this makes sense. She doesn't seem like a fugitive. Her charges were being caught with a small bag of coke, which is in the notes that she never consumed and had no trace in her system.

But she apparently missed court, so now she's wanted. Fuck.

We all get suited up and say a quick prayer before loading up in the cars. As everyone was getting their stuff in the cars, I stood back a bit and was just so deep in thought.

"Bro, what's up? Are you okay?" Duane Lee asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I whimpered a little and looked away. How do I tell my brother his client, who is now our fugitive, is my... girlfriend? Goddammit, I just realized we never labeled what we were. I groaned and ran my hands down my face.

"Leland, talk to me. What's going on?" He pressed, worry clear in his tone.

"Daune Lee, our fugitive is the girl I'm in love with. I haven't heard from her in days. I go by her house after work every night, and she's never there. How can she be a fugitive? She's the most gentle and sweet person I've ever seen and met." I said, my confusion and frustration showing.

His face was shocked. He looked at me with raised eyebrows. "Dude, are you serious?" I nodded.

"Boys, let's go!" We look over and see Beth waiting on us. We look at each other before my brother pats my shoulder and gives me a sympathetic look. We get in the cars and pull out of the driveway.

~~~~~~~

After visiting her housing and seeing she wasn't there, we drove to where someone said they last saw her. As we drove through this quiet neighborhood, we saw a woman walking down the street. I look back since she has her hood up.

It's her! It's Ariel! My princess!

"It's her! That's her!" Beth booms through the radio. Both cars stop, and I quickly jump out only for her to take off around the corner. I chased after her. I'm not losing her again.

"Leland!!" Beth calls after me, but I continue on, trying desperately to close the gap between Ariel and I.

Damn she's fast.

She rounds a corner and cuts across the street, then runs down an alley. I turn down the alley and push myself faster.

"Ariel, stop!" I call out to her. She stops and slowly turns around, panting heavily. I stop and look at her, panting too. "Leland?" She asks in disbelief. I smile softly at her and nod, opening my arms to her. She runs into them, hugging me tightly. I do the same to her, pulling her as close to me as I can. I hear her crying softly, and I pet her hair while whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

Fuck, I've missed her so much. I've missed how she feels in my arms, the warmth that radiates off her body. I've missed everything about her.

"Leland, I'm sorry." She cried. "I'm sorry I ignored you and ran away."

"It's okay, princess." I said, still petting her hair. "But, baby, what's going on? Why haven't you called me? Why did you run away?"

"Because I-" she looked up at me, then stopped. She pulled away from me and looked at me entirely. I looked at her confused. "You're one of them?" She asked. "Uh, one of who?" I asked back, taking a towards her, but she stepped back.

"You're a cop?"

"No." I replied, shaking my head. "I'm a bounty hunter. It's the same concept but different things."

Just then, I look back to hear the cars pull up at the end of the alley. I look back at Ariel. She shakes her head at me with a sad, pained look as she walks backward away from me. "No, wait." I plead as I reach out for her. "Ariel!" I call as she turns and runs off.

"Get her, Leland!" I heard Beth shout from behind me, but I couldn't move. I just watched as she turned out of the alley. My heart broke even more than it already has.

"Leland, why did you let her get away?" Dad asked, looking at me. His face changed to concern as I still looked ahead where I last saw Ariel.

She doesn't trust me anymore.

She's gone...