𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 • 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘤𝘰𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭

𝟒𝟕: 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤

   Walker's chest rose and fell with adrenaline as Archer crumbled to the ground.

And no, it wasn't just him who finally, finally found them.

At least five police officers were right on his tail, and Sophia knew in a heartbeat that he had outrun them. Like they couldn't keep him away.

Walker didn't waste a second before turning to her, Archer already forgotten on the floor. When their eyes connected Sophia's breath caught in her throat, his name dying too far back on her tongue to get it out.

Reaching her in less than a second, he practically slid across the floor, dropping to his knees in front of her as his hands immediately cupped her face.

The warmth of his touch melted her instantly. Just getting to hear his voice again made her fall apart into a thousand messy pieces.

"Hey! Hey, Soph it's okay. I'm here." His tone was soothing, eyes full of concern and relief as his fingers gently grazed her cheeks. He somewhat frantically brushed her hair away from her eyes. "I'm here. I've got you, okay? It's over, it's all over now."

She could barely speak. "Walker..."

Her voice was almost non-existent, but she knew he heard her. She knew that he understood what she was trying to say. His expression said everything.

He shook his head. "I'm never leaving you alone again, okay? I promise." His hand on her cheek was steady, his thumb brushing her face comfortingly.

Maybe it was just her stupid teenage feelings, but despite the pain, she would've let that moment last forever if it meant him being right there beside her.

Walker opened his mouth to say something else, but an officer suddenly grabbed his arm, pulling him away. His shocked protest rang in her ears.

Sophia reached out, only to grab the air.

"Let me go—Soph!" Walker pushed back, but the officer almost had him out the door. "Is she gonna be okay? Wait-"

Every last bit of her wanted him to come back. For him to keep holding her and never let go. To hear his voice in her ear as he cradled her head in his hands. To have him tell her it would all be okay.

But instead, Walker was forcefully pulled from the room, and Sophia couldn't do a thing to stop it. She was surrounded by a team of paramedics in an instant, and she hoped the same was happening to Bridgette.

Everything that happened afterwards felt like Sophia was watching herself through a television screen, her head full of static. Severed. Disconnected.

She heard the scuffle of officers putting Archer into cuffs, and then he was gone too. For good, she hoped.

The part of her neck where he had grabbed her was already tender, and her airways struggled with each wheezy breath . She didn't want to imagine what kind of mark Archer had left behind.

Walker's shouting drifted through the door from somewhere down the hall, demanding to see her. But Sophia knew it was no use.

So she sat there dazed, and surrendered to the medics. She was oblivious to most of what they did. All she wanted was for them to bring Walker back.

She tried to ask, but couldn't force her voice to work. Looking to one of the paramedics pleadingly, he only shushed her as soon as she opened her mouth.

"Don't try to speak, just hang tight for us. Okay?"And then he slipped a breathing mask over her face, oxygen being filtered inside of it.

Within the next ten minutes, she was in an ambulance being transferred to the hospital.