A Way Back To You

30| Time

Definition: the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

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Trigger warning: This book deals with mentions and implications of abuse, mainly physical but potentially sexual. While the latter is never descript, reader discretion is still advised.

Author note: The above video is my recommended background music for reading. Click play, and settle in.

With Alpheus. Day 7.

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"Damien, come on. This is Maddie we're talking about." Alpheus narrowed his eyes at the man. "I need answers. And so does Ant." 

Damien shrugged. He'd been typing away for several hours; and so far his search had yielded few results. "I'm trying, Al. You know I'd do anything to get a name but that's not how this shit works." 

Alpheus folded his arms. "Ant needs answers too. There has to be blood.....dna, something that links the pieces together." 

"Why do you suddenly care that Ant gets answers? I thought Maddy hated the guy. Actually, I thought you hated the guy. I distinctly recall you having me follow him for weeks after Maddy told you that they'd dated." Damien accused. 

"That's because I had only just found out about him and I didn't know enough to prove what I suspected. And he's Maddy's person. She loves him, I know she does. She doesn't need anybody but she wants him, and he's a good guy. I trust that Ant won't hurt her, so if my sister cares about him, I'm going to trust Maddy and side with him. That means he gets all updates." 

"You're a good brother." Damien said. "Alright. Let's see what we can tell him." 

The man had spent hours on the phone, calling his contacts, chasing down potential suspects, and trying to figure out who could've wanted Ariana hurt. Alpheus knew that they hadn't been targeting Maddy, but that didn't mean she hadn't been hurt. And the more time that passed, the less he had a chance of finding out who'd done it. 

"Alpheus, maybe take a seat." Damien gestured over his shoulder. "When she wakes up, I don't want to have to tell her that after major surgery, I let you hover over me. Maddy's gonna have my ass." 

There was a sense of relief that Damien was convinced Maddy would wake. So far, it had been 8 days; and she'd showed few signs of change at all. The doctors weren't convinced that she'd pull through, and Ant had been pacing back and forth, yelling at them that they needed to keep the machines on regardless because he was paying top dollar for the medical care. 

Hence why Alpheus had taken point on finding the person responsible for the accident. It was the only way that he felt he could help, because the waiting was killing him. And he had half a mind to murder whoever was responsible. It wasn't like they'd be able to prove that he'd done it, anyway. 

"Alright, I'll sit." Alpheus huffed. "You really can't find anything?" 

"Look," Damien sighed, "It might be unrelated, but Ariana's father escaped from Prison 12 days ago." 

Alpheus sat upright in his chair. "He what? When? How?" 

"Alpheus!" Damien interrupted. "I'm trying to work here, when I find something, I'll tell you. The only thing that seems to be related in anyway is the fact that her Dad's out and just before the car crashed, too. The police are trying to find him." 

"But that's impossible. How does he escape solitary?" Alpheus demanded. "He hurt his kid. I know a guy or two who'd shank him just for the possibility that he touched any little girl." 

"I don't know, ok? I'm not a cop." Damien shrugged. "But the police found other DNA at the scene that's being sent for analysing. If it's conclusive, we'll know who did this." 

"That bastard escaped prison?" Alpheus slowly stood. His tone was low and dangerous, his eyes dark with anger. "That means he's got no one protecting him." 

"Alpheus, what are you going to-"