Secrets - Michael Clifford (completed)

3.7

Driving home with Luke was tense, not an awkward kind of tense where both parties are 'fuck someone come and interrupt this now' kind of tense but the uneasy kind. The kind that churned in your stomach and made each passing second feels like an hour.

The uneasy kind that was caused by my inability to sit still, due to the pain coursing through my leg and paranoia of Leah jumping up unexpectedly, the unknowing of where she was and what she was doing.

"Babe?" Luke's voice broke me out of my observant trance through the back window, "We're almost home," his blue eyes met my scared gaze, before he pulled the car over and turned to face me, grabbing both of my hands before continuing, "It's okay now, you're safe,"

"Sorry I'm just, it's just I'm not used to safe anymore, and i, I don't know how safe feels or what normal is anymore I'm, I'm just a little lost and unbalanced," my voice shook and tears gathered in my eyes.

"Ro, babe please don't apologise," he smiled, kissing both my hands, "I understand honestly I do, I might have only been running with you for three maybe four months with Jamie but the unknown fear of being caught or found, the terror that lurked in my mind and situations my mind conjured up of them getting their hands on you and Jamie kept me awake so many nights,"

"I didn't, you never told me that?" I whispered, dragging my fingers through his hair that had grown out since I saw him last, random wispy curls fell across his forehead.

"Because I wanted to stay strong for you both, I needed too and you were doing the same for me too, it helped us through those times,"

"It did, im just scared she'll get away before they can catch her, before they can charge her and we'll be back to where we started," I paused to gather my thoughts and hold back to tears that threatened to escape, "I don't wanna get back there, not again. I don't think I have the strength in me to run away again, I can't run from those I care about again Luke, I can't,"

Luke leaned forward and pulled me into a tight hug once again, rubbing my back reassuringly before speaking, his mouth slightly muffled by my hair, "Baby they'll get her ok, she can't outrun this, like Michael said it's one sided, you're safe and I'm here ok,"

"I know you are, I know I'm sorr-"

"Rory stop apologising, what matters now is that we can finally be together again," Luke smiled again before turning back to his seat and starting the ignition again, "We as a family with everyone else and then we as in me and you, we can get back to where we started,"

"I can't wait for that, I just wanna get on with looking forward to the future," I smiled, nodding to myself in agreement, that now, was the start of a new beginning, no more looking back, "Our new beginning starts now, no more looking back to dwell on the past, our choices or mistakes," I mumbled to myself, my thoughts suddenly aloud.

"That sounds good to me babe, though we have one more thing to do first, well you do," he opened his door, walking round to open my side for me, "And thats talk to the police, they'll be waiting up there I can imagine,"

"And then the future?" I exhaled slowly, looking up to meet Luke's careful but loving gaze.

"Then the future," he hummed, pressing a kiss to my forehead and taking my hand to lead us back home.

*