Find Me

17

SEVENTEEN-QUINN

I hurt all over, but none of the physical pain could rival how I felt when I came to and heard what Dylan had done for me. He'd taken a man's life, had been hauled to the police station, and it was all my fault. I'd thought I was doing the right thing by sneaking out while he slept. I figured if I left him, then he couldn't get hurt, but he did anyway. Who knew what his future would hold now? Was I glad Marcus or Billy, or whatever he had called himself, was dead, absolutely, but I regretted that Dylan had been the one to take him out. After checking my vitals, the doctor, who had just caught me up on the events that had happened after I lost consciousness, left the room.

"You're awake!" Lexi said, entering my room with a cup in her hand. She frowned down at it, "They have piss-poor coffee here, but I didn't want to leave the hospital."

I smiled, "I'm glad you're here and thank you for sacrificing your taste buds."

"For you, Babe, anything." She said with a wink and took a seat, next to my hospital bed.

"Any word on Dylan?" I asked, scared to know the answer.

Lexi shook her head, "I sent Cohen down there to see if he can find anything out."

A knock at the door, caught our attention and anything I was about to say died on my tongue. Henry Pennington stood, looking unsure. I swallowed, nervously, and said, "Mr. Pennington, come in."

"Uh, Henry, please." He said, stepping up to my bed.

"Henry." I whispered, now completely freaked out. "Is Dylan ok? I know they took him to the police station and, I am so sorry that I got him involved in this."

"Quinn, I'm here to apologize. I admit, when I got the phone call about Dylan shooting someone, I was angry. I placed all of that on you. I shouldn't have done that and I'm ashamed at my behavior toward you. I'm also sorry for how I treated you when you came to dinner. I had no idea about your father and the situation."

Lexi spoke up, glaring, "You should be proud of your son. He risked himself to save her and didn't think twice about it."

Henry nodded, "I agree. Dylan is right. My wife...my first wife, Dylan's mother, would have been ashamed of me and rightly so. She was so honest and pure. She didn't have a mean bone in her body. I suppose that's where Dylan gets it."

"Sir, you should know that I'm in love with your son. As long as he'll have me, I'm not going anywhere." I tell him boldly.

"Don't you think that's something you should have told me first?" Dylan's voice shocked me and I glanced toward the door, to find him and Cohen. Both were grinning.

Henry cleared his throat, "I'll, uh, leave you to it. Dylan, I owe you an apology too, but um, I can see now isn't a good time." Henry handed Dylan his phone back, "I'll call you later this week. You can have your apartment back and I'll have your car delivered to you."

Dylan clenched his jaw, but nodded and said, "Thanks."

"Come on, Cohen. Let's go get you some of this delicious coffee." Lexi announced and then winked at me, as she dragged Cohen out the door.

Dylan stepped up to my bedside, "So you love me, huh?"

I shook my head, "No, I'm in love with you. There is a difference."

Dylan nodded, "Good to know. Well, it's good that you're in love with me. Pretty convenient actually, because I'm in love with you too."

"You don't think it's too soon for us to be throwing that word around?"

Dylan shrugged, "We've had this discussion about being normal before. Our normal is different than others. Who cares what anyone else thinks?"

"How are you here, anyway? They said you were arrested."

"They let me go. Said it was a self-defense situation, since I was clearly protecting you. I think your Detective Hollis pulled some strings for me."

"My detective?"

Dylan shrugged, "He said he's been on the case a long time. He seemed...fond of you."

"Jealous?" I asked, grinning.

Dylan snorted and teased, "No. If a forty-some year old workaholic is what floats your boat, then more power to you."

I smiled, "My boat only floats for a twenty-some McPherson student with boyish charm, amazing good looks, incredible athletic skills, and great shooting skills."

Dylan chuckled, but sobered and said, "When I saw him stab you...I thought...I didn't think we'd have a future. I thought I'd just watched my future be taken from me and I didn't know what to do. I didn't even think when I grabbed that gun. I just knew that he had to die."

I nodded my understanding, "I set out to kill him today. I knew that I couldn't keep running for the rest of my life and I knew as long as he was alive, then I'd live in fear. I need to be able to move on and killing him would be the only way. Maybe now I can get some closure."

"Knock knock..." Detective Hollis stepped into the room and smiled at Dylan, "You got here quick. I have to take Quinn's statement."

Dylan nodded and took my hand, kissing my knuckles, "I'm going to go get some coffee with Lexi and Cohen. I'll be back."

When I was alone with Detective Hollis, he smirked at me and said, "He's new to the scene."

I ignored that and asked, "Is he really safe? He's not going to get in trouble for helping me?"

Hollis shook his head, "I'll make sure he doesn't get in trouble. We have eyewitnesses that saw everything and I have no doubt your story will match his. Now, want to run through the events of the day for me?"

I told him everything from sneaking out to waking up in the hospital. I told him everything Marcus had said about his real name and how he'd supposedly killed before my mom. I didn't hold anything back. I never had with him, which was saying something. I didn't usually trust so easily, but Matt Hollis had been around since mom died, so I think that's why I felt some sort of connection to him. I looked up at him and said, "It's over. Right. I can finally live."

He nodded, "It is over, kid. You made it to the other side. Pennington seems alright, although the dad is something else. He treat you alright?"

I smiled, "The best."

"Good. Take care, Quinn." He nodded once more and left. I felt a little sad. Although, on the flip side, it was actually a good thing that I'd probably never see him again. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, feeling all of the tension drain from my body. Like he'd said, I had made it to the other side. I was free. Finally.