Why do I feel this way?

Chapter 75: The Cost

Vivian jumped up from the table in the break room, her chair crashing to the floor. Her mind raced—she felt like she was watching herself from outside her body. Renee burst through the door as she shouted, "Viv, are you okay?!" She quickly realized that the brunette was frantically grabbing her belongings. Renee's voice became softer, "Viv, what's going on?" Vivian still didn't register that someone had entered the room or that her chair had slammed to the floor. The only thing she could think about was Siobhan.

Renee stood back watching Vivian scramble as her heart began to drop. She calmly walked over to Vivian grabbing her firmly by the shoulders. She searched her worried friend's eyes waiting for her to snap out of it. "Vivian! What happened?!" She finally snapped out of it, looking Renee in the eyes, "Something happened to Siobhan... I was just on FaceTime with her... she— she... I can't do this! I have to get to her..." Renee shook her head and she defeatedly whispered, "Okay..."

Renee called the department head to ask for a float nurse to be sent to cover the remaining time of Vivian's shift. As Vivian rushed out to her car, her thoughts finally cleared and she pulled her phone out to call Marjorie. Her heart was pounding in her chest more and more violently with every ring. She sighed in frustration when the nursery manager didn't answer. Vivian rapidly scrolled to Autumn's name in her contacts aggressively tapping the call icon. After three rings, Autumn answers with a softer tone than usual.

"Vivian, I really can't talk right now." Vivian's desperate voice pierced painfully through the phone, "Autumn... please... Did something happen to Siobhan?" The brunette's breath hung in her chest as the silence felt suffocating. Finally Autumn spoke again, a hint of worry in her voice, "The nursery is on lockdown. We heard a gunshot in the car park..." Vivian dropped to her knees as everything around her seemed to cease to move and the ringing in her ears drowned out everything except her own heartbeat.

Autumn's shoulders dropped as tears pulled at her eyes while she whispered, "Vivian... Vivian... come back... in 1, 2, 3 out 1, 2, 3..." The whispers begin to break through and Vivian choked out, "Siobhan... she was in the car park." As her voice broke she continued, "Autumn... she was in the car park..." Autumn closed her eyes as she took a deep breath then exhaled, "I know..." She could hear Vivian's breathing begin to regulate and her voice strengthened, "I'm on my way there!" Autumn's rushed plea for her to stay away is ignored as the call quickly ends.

Vivian's car tires squeal as she drifts into the car park quickly coming to a stop and rapidly exiting the car. Yellow crime scene tape surrounds the area around Siobhan's car. Police officers marking evidence and photographing the crime scene. She overhears one of the officer's analysis of the event. "Looks like the driver got out of the car and was shot... possibly the shoulder judging by the splatter pattern and placement of the bullet hole on the passenger side of the car. Vivian felt like she was going to be sick.

"Woah... hold on! You can't be here. I need you to step back." The stern voice jolts the brunette out of her haze. "That's my fiancé's car... I—" The officer's expression softened as his voice shifted to warm and comforting, "I'm sorry. I know this is difficult, but we need to do our job." He paused for a moment scanning the building. "There's cameras... Once my fellow officers clear the building, we will check the tapes."

Realization hits Vivian that her sweet boy is probably scared with gunshots and then officers bursting in securing the building. In reality though, Jamie thought it was kind of cool. Sorscha and Winter being so creative and calm, the young ones in their care thought they were playing a game. They were amazed at the actions of the officers and watched intently as they moved through the rooms.

Miles away a black Jaguar F-Pace speeds towards a secluded cabin deep in the forest. Chris parked a couple miles away from his destination since this particular cabin could only be accessed by foot. Siobhan was laying in the back, zip ties tightly bound her hands in front of her and ankles tied with rope. Chris jerked the blonde up by her arm, sitting her on the edge of the vehicle. Siobhan tightened her lips as the pain shot through her body. Knowing how Chris enjoyed torture she refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream in pain.

He cut the ropes off before pulling her to her feet and shoving her forward. Feeling his open palm connect with the middle of her back sent a surge of anger through her. All she could think about was the pain he put her fiancé through and it caused her blood to boil. The blonde wasn't afraid— she was pissed. Furious that he decided to use her yet again to hurt Vivian. As they walked further into the woods, she focused her mind on her love for the raven haired woman. Her face flashing through her mind and voice echoing as if she was right by her side.

As Chris and Siobhan reach the cabin, Vivian is being escorted into the nursery office to view the recording. Autumn approached Vivian, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure you want to see this?" Vivian nodded slowly and continued with the officer to the monitor. The camera gave the perfect angle to the scene that unfolded a few hours earlier in the car park. When she saw Siobhan get shot on the screen, her hand flung to her mouth as she gasped. Suddenly her body began to shake, but not in fear— in anger. Chris was going to pay for his actions— with his life.