Ultraviolence

Chapter 11

After bringing Wheezie back to Tannyhill, Rafe and Rhea swapped seats so that she could nap in the passenger seat. It was quite hard because she was lost in her thoughts of what the hell Rafe's plan was when they got to the tarmac.

Would he cry to his father and bag to be taken back? It really wasn't her problem, she should get some more sleep.

Her dream was the best one that he had in a long time. It was her and Rafe in the future, the one that they had planned out together. Rafe would help Ward expand his business to Europe, where him and Rhea would settle down in Verona, having a big Italian country house, where Rhea grew their own fruits and vegetables, as Rafe worked from home and the kids had fun.

She would sit in their big garden and watch the kids jump in the pool, and soon later her husband would join her. Complaining that their boys were being too rough with his daughter.

Sarah and whoever her husband would be, would come and visit for their holidays. I'm the winter, they would go skiing with all the kids and in the Summer They would stay in Rafe and Rhea's place, because it was big enough to fit them all.

At night, after the kids were put to sleep, Rafe would run her a bath while she took off her makeup and did her skincare. And when she was finished the two would soak if the big tub, just caressing each other and talking about life as the bubbles surrounded them.

After their bath, Rafe would help her moisturise her back where she couldn't reach and she would put her silk pyjamas on and he would put his boxers on and they would cuddle each other to sleep.

Rhea couldn't wait for this dream to come true. To be held and taken care of by Rafe. With no worries at all other than hoping their children would get good grades. She couldn't wait to be able to just sit and talk to him for hours upon hours about how much they had made it in life. To think about every goal, every trial they had passed. Every-

Bang

Rhea's eyes immediately burst open at the load noise. She was so confused, looking around, trying to take in what happened. She was in her car, in the passenger seat and they were on the tarmac. But what the hell was that bang? It sounded like a gun but there was no way.

She took off her seatbelt and ran towards the plane, where she say Ward, Sarah, John B... Sheriff Perterkin collapsing? And Rafe. With a gun in his hand. Rhea thought she stopped breathing. No, this couldn't be happening, she was still dreaming, Rafe would never shoot someone, let alone a cop.

"I saved you dad. I saved you." Rafe said through teary eyes. Oh my God, Rhea thought. This isn't real, this isn't real. Tears formed at her eyes as the watched Sarah cling to John B on fear.

John B ran to the Sherif trying desperately to help her as she muttered something to him. Rafe had the gun pointed at John B but he didn't  seem to care.

But Sarah, Sarah was on the floor trembling as tears streamed down her face. Rhea didn't know what to do she just stood there. Her body felt frozen.

"Hey! don't you try it asshole." She heard Rafe threaten John B as he tried to call for help.

Ward seemed to be calming Rafe down to pry the gun out of his hands after he retrieved the radio from John B. It seemed to be working until John B started to run away and Rafe tried to go after him.

Sarah and Ward tried to hold him back as he screamed. Rafe kept shooting the gun, each gunshot making everyone flinch. Sarah ran to Peterkin to see if she could still help her, she sobbed over her.

"Rafe? What did you do?" Rhea whispered in shock, tears rolling down her face. The three turned around.

"I had to save him, she was going to kill my dad, I couldn't let that happen. No." He sounded so unsure of himself. Like he to was trying to convince himself that was the truth.

"You're crazy! What is wrong with you!" Sarah screamed.

"Rafe, take the girls back to Tannyhill" Ward told his son.

"I'm not going anywhere until the medics are here!" Sarah disobeyed. All Rhea wanted to do was leave, she couldn't even comprehend what was going on. She needed to leave.

She just walked back to her car with a still face, but the tears kept coming. She slowly sat in the back and closed the door, staring straight ahead.

Not long later, Rafe came throwing a screaming and wailing Sarah into the passenger seat. "Don't move!" Rafe screamed, slamming the door.

"She had the hammer back. You know that." Rafe started frantically driving, his breathing quick.

"No." Sara shook her head.

"She was gonna blow his head off." Rafe continued.

"No, she was arresting him, Rafe." She told him, sobbing.

"Okay, I couldnt sit there and let it happen, okay? She was gonna kill him. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, she was gonna kill him." Rafe was hyperventilating whole Sarah stared at him like he was crazy.

Sarah tried to jump out of the car but was held back by Rafe, the two screaming at each other.

"Do you realise what you've done!?" She asked.

"I saved dad." Rafe cried.

"Rhea do you see this? He's crazy!" She turned to her best friend whose face was expressionless other than the tears. "Ray?" she asked quietly

Rhea didn't move. "Ray, I didn't do anything wrong, I promise, I had to help my dad." Rafe said driving recklessly. "She's not answering me. Sarah why isn't she answering me!? She hates me doesn't she?" Rafe started swerving into lanes. "I'm a proactive type of person, I couldn't just stand there. I couldn't. Are you listening to me!?" He screamed.
"I'm a proactive type of person." he repeated.

"I think she's in shock, Rafe stop screaming at her!"

"Hope is not a strategy okay!?" He kept saying.

"Rafe! Rafe! Car!" Sarah got his attention before he crashed.

"I'm the problem solver of this family. Okay!?" He yelled into Sarah's face.

"Okay!" She shouted back in defeat as he drove back to Tannyhill.

The rest of the drive was quiet, every now and again Sarah would glance back at Rhea to make sure she was still breathing, which she was. It was a scary sight to see someone so still.

When Rafe parked in the driveway, and got out of the car he was immediately pestered by Rose.

"Hey! Your dad is not gonna like that you're back home." She yelled as she stood in the front garden.

"He told me I could come here." was all her said as he went to the back to help Rhea get up.

"Well, he didn't tell me." She replied to Rafe.

Her smile immediately dropped when she saw a teary eyed Sarah walk out of the car. "Why aren't you on the plane?" she coutiously asked.

"Ask Rafe." was all she said walking away.

She was even more confused when she saw Rafe slowly walking to the house with his arm around Rhea's waist to stop her from falling.

Rafe set his girlfriend down on his bed and he kneeled in front of her. "Rhea, can you hear me?" he asked quietly. She nodded.

"Rafe, you killed her," she cried. "She's dead, and it's your fault."

"Don't! Don't say that okay," He smacked the side of his bed, making Rhea jump in fear. "I did nothing wrong, she tried to kill my dad, I took action." He said.

"If that was you, if she had a gun to your head, I would have don't the exact same thing. You need to understand that i make sure to protect what I love, I will always protect what's mine. My family, my love, everything. Alright?" He slowly said putting his hand on Rhea's cheek.

She understood where he was coming from, Rafe had always been protective, it's like it was in his nature. Even before they got together, he hated her talking to other boys, and when she broke her leg at the school fair he took care of her and stayed with her so she wouldn't feel alone.

Rafe was a natural protector in all areas.