AFFLICTION- LRH

I Don't Want You To Go.

Maeve's POV:

"Hi dad."

The way his eyes flash up to me the second he hears my voice was almost record timing, but it doesn't take him more than five seconds to throw all his belongings on the ground in front of him, and wrap his arms tightly around me.

"I don't-" his voice cracks in my ear, his hands holding onto me tightly as his chest shakes, "I don't understand."

"I missed you too, dad" I croak, the heaviness in my eyes becoming too much to handle as the tears begin to slip.

I hadn't realized how much I missed his scent. The way his cologne filled my nose choked me up even more.

In this exact moment, I swore that nothing in this universe could feel as heavy as the absence of the person you love.

"What the hell happened to you, Maeve?" Dad asks, his grip on me loosening as he comes back down from cloud nine, "you disappeared one night, and then I had these guys looking for you, and then-"

He stops his words, the realization of who all was actually surrounding us hits him as he lifts his eyes off of me and over to Luke.

Fuck.

As if I had blinked my eyes, I watch my father rush over to Luke, grabbing hold of his neck and pushing him up against the wall, his eyes bloodshot with fury.

"What the fuck, Luke!" He shouts, his fist plummeting into Lukes cheek, causing me to let out a slight gasp by the impact, "You fucking found her, and never told me? How long has she been here!"

Luke stays silent, whether by choice or not with the grip around his throat, allowing another blow to his lip this time, blood spewing down his chin.

"Dad!" I shout, running up and standing between him and Luke, "That is enough!"

"What did he do to you, Maeve? Dad growls, his eyes shifting between Luke and I, "what happened?"

"Nothing happened!" I growl, shoving him back a bit so the grip around Lukes throat could be loosened, "Let him go and we can talk!"

Shocked by me shoving him, he lets go immediately, and the sound of Luke gasping for air crushes my soul.

Fuck this, I can't let him die.

"What the hell is going on?" Kouvr asks, looking between us and Calum, who still held on to her for dear life.

Ashton was quick to Lukes side on the floor, letting Luke catch his breath as he patted his back. Ash then looks at me, nodding slowly, "Tell him."

I am damned if I do, and damned if I don't.

So, I choose the second option.

"I should have told you," I start slow, letting my dad calm himself down, "But-"

"But what, Maeve?"

"If you let me talk!" I shout, the frustration starting to grow within me.

Dad nods, crossing his arms in front of his chest as he looks down to Luke in disgust, "You better hope she gives me the truth, Hemmings."

Luke looks up to me, his tired and blown out pupils sent me all kinds of signals.

That man somehow has a piece of my soul, and I couldn't explain why.

"Well?" Dad snaps, "What is it?"

Taking a shallow breath, I look him right in the eys.

It was now or never.