The Rain (Book 1 - The Unprotected)

Chapter 18 - Nouveaux amis, adieux final et ciels magnifique.

The sun beat off their backs as they stood watching people rush around like headless chickens. It was one o'clock or as the Colonel would say thirteen hundred hours. Nate and Ross and received their cars and parked them outside the building. They had already packed their bags and filled the cars, they were just standing and watching the others flounder around. They were taking buses and cars that were all filled to the brim with bags and belongings.

The same man who had met them at the forest line approached Courtney and Ross who were leant against the Range Rover watching in amusement. The stones crunched under his heavy boots and he was wearing a local police uniform. Ross pushed himself off the car by his elbows and met him halfway.

"You sure you don't want to come? You're Dad's gonna kill me when he finds out I let you go." He said with a smile. Ross laughed and ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head and looking over his shoulder.

"Yeah...The plan was always East, we owe someone that." He said, pursing his lips. The man nodded understanding their loss. He pulled a duffel bag off his shoulder and thrust into Ross's arms, the metal inside clashed together and Ross staggered back with the weight.

"You'll need these." He said, looking at the bag and back up to Ross, smiling sadly as he knew nothing he could say would change Ross's mind.

"Thanks," Ross replied with gratitude and a small smile. He dropped the bag and pulled the man into a hug.

"You would've been great in the army and Derek would've been proud of you." He whispered in Ross's ear. Patting each other on the back they pulled away, nodding at each other. Ross picked the bag up and tossed it over his shoulder groaning when it smacked off his back. They shared one last look and turned, heading back to their groups. Ross opened the boot of the Audi and chucked the bag inside slamming the door shut, looking to find Courtney and Nate through the number of bustling people.

She jogged over to Alex who stood with his mum, arguing about the contents of their car. His sister sat in the back seat with a man and a little boy, chatting away with both of them.

She stood a little distance away not wanting to intrude, soon she caught Alex's eye and he nodded at his mum walking away and closing in on her.

He'd told the group about his departure with and they'd understood. He'd found his family and he wasn't going to leave them. Jane understood and supported his decision, she would've done the same if she'd found her parents. Courtney felt as though they had unfinished business and she wanted to clear things up before they separated.

"So..." He mumbled, looking down and kicking pebbles with his feet. Courtney watched him, not feeling the discomfort that he obviously felt.

"I'm sorry." She said, he looked up and gawked at her. He'd never heard Courtney apologise to anyone, normally she'd find another way to say sorry or she'd rarely be wrong. "I'm sorry about Annie and everything but I'm not a leader, and you need to know that I didn't want this pressure. I never asked for this, I-"

"I know." He stated loudly over her rambling. She stopped mid sentence and looked at him.

"You do?" She asked, letting her body relax.

"Yeah, I know it's just...I wanted-" He stopped, correcting himself. "I needed someone to blame and...you were there. I should be apologising, not you." He nodded at her and turned to the car, beginning to walk away.

"You're a good leader." He looked over his shoulder at her, she was sideways, obviously beginning to walk away from him too. She watched him in curiosity. "You're the reason I'm still alive so..thank you." He looked behind her to Ross, Nate, Jane and Drew who were talking with three other strangers. He sighed, sad that he was leaving them behind. They were his group. "Take care of them for me." He pursed his lips and turned back around, pulling the car door open and hopping in the passengers seat. He could hear the stones grind beneath her feet as she got further away from him.