F | I'll stand by you (One Chicago)

Chapter Twelve

The next day, Emily goes to the school as planned. By 4pm, she's finished. She's been told that she's not far behind and she will catch up quite easily and quite quickly. As Kelly is as work, she's going to the firehouse for a few hours. When she gets on the bus, she puts in her earphones and starts to listen to the Little Shop of Horrors soundtrack as that is what the students in musical theatre are learning. She gets off the bus two blocks away from the firehouse and starts the short walk. She then gets the feeling that someone is following so she looks behind her. A man, with his hood up is walking behind her. She realises who it is and goes to cross the road but before she can, the man rushes up to her, pulls her back and into an alley. 'What the hell do you want?!' Emily orders. The man pulls down his hood and it is, indeed, David Shakespeare. 'I thought you were dead?'

'No. That's my twin brother.' David smirks.

'The forensics don't lie.' Emily shakes her head. 'Unless you're working with someone on the inside.'

'That's for me to know and for you to never find out.' David whispers. He then places his hands over her breasts and starts kissing her neck.

'Stop.' Emily resists, but David keeps going. 'I said STOP!' She screams pushing him off. This makes David furious. He lunges towards her and grabs her by her neck, pinning her against the wall.

'You will do as I say.' He snarls. He then continues to plant kisses down her neck.

'Hello?' A voice says. 'Is everything OK?' Emily realises who it is, Jay Halstead, but David has no clue.

'Everything's fine.' David shouts back, but that doesn't stop Jay from investigating. He heard Emily's voice and immediately sensed the danger. Jay draws his gun and turns the corner, pointing the gun at David.

'Let her go!' Jay demands. Without looking at Jay, David let's go of Emily and runs away. 'Stay here.' Jay tells Emily, going to run after David but Emily stops it.

'Leave it.' She tells him. 'If he can fake his own death, he can make himself become untraceable.'

'What do you mean?' Jay asks, putting his gun back in its holder.

'David Shakespeare. He faked his own death. It was his twin brother that got caught up in that accident.' Emily replies. 'He's most likely got someone in the department working for him.'

'I'll look into it.' Jay reassures her. 'Where you headed?' He asks.

'The firehouse.' Emily responds.

'I'll walk you there.' Jay tells her.

'No. It's fine.' Emily shakes her heads. 'I'll be fine. He's not going to try it again.'

'Emily, you don't know-'

'Please. Just let me go alone.' Emily says. 'And don't tell Kelly about what happened. I don't want him worrying.' With that, Emily turns around and walks away.

When Emily arrives at the firehouse, she sits in the common room with Gabby and Sylvie. She gets out her IPad and opens up her emails. There she has an email from Nikki. She opens it and reads it.

    Hi Emily,

It's Nikki here. Our school production for winter is Little Shop of Horrors. Our Audrey dropped out and the understudy doesn't want to actually have the role so I'd like to offer it to you. The production is on Friday December 22nd. You're only a week behind in rehearsals and we've just been learning the first cast song. Our next rehearsal will be tomorrow so if you'd like the part, just come along.

 Welcome to Chicago Arts.

  Nikki

Emily is ecstatic! Although, she doesn't show it. Instead of looking ecstatic, she looks upset. 'Emily, are you OK?' Sylvie asks. Emily is too zoned out to realise she's being spoken to. 'Em?' Sylvie says louder, tapping Emily on the shoulder causing her to jump. 'Are you OK?'

'Yeah.' Emily nods as she clicks off her emails. 'I'm fine.'

'What was the email about?' Sylvie asks,

'They've already offered me a role in the next school production.' Emily smiles slightly.

'That's great news! Isn't it?' Gabby asks.

'Yeah, I just don't find it fair on the students that have been there for years.' Emily replies.

'They must really like you though. If they're already offering you roles.' Sylvie grins.

'Maybe.' Emily whispers.

~

It gets to 7pm, everyone is lining up to get their food. 'Emily, go and get some food.' Kelly tells her, sitting next to her.

'I'm not hungry. I had something to eat on the way back.' Emily lies. 'I'm gonna head home.' She says, standing up. 'Get my things together for tomorrow.'

'It's cold, late and dark. I'll call you a cab. No arguments.' Kelly says. Emily sighs and nods.

~

Just under half an hour later, Emily is home. She gets changed into a black vest, leggings and slipper boots before packing her bag for school tomorrow. After she's done that, she gets a bottle of water from the fridge in the kitchen, walks back to her room and sits on her bed. She takes a box out of the drawer in her beside table. She hesitates for a moment before opening it. In the box there are craft knife blades. She picks one up and fiddles with it before dragging it across her right wrist, cutting the skin. She does the same to her left wrist. She hasn't cut in so long. She's been brave. She's resisted but everything has piled up so much, that she can't handle it anymore. She drops the razor back in the box, puts the box back in the drawer and breaks down crying. There's then a knock on the door. Quickly, she wipes the blood with some wipes, causing an awful stinging sensation, She then puts on a cardigan and goes to answer to door.

'Detective Halstead.' Emily smiles when she answers the door and sees Jay.

'I just wanted to make sure that you're OK.' Jay says. He then notices that she's been crying. 'But I can see you're not. You've been crying.'

'Well I have seen the man that raped me. The man who I thought was dead.' Emily replies. 'Look, I'd be able to handle it better if everyone just let me deal with it in my own way.'

'If you ever want to talk, just give me a call.' Jay smiles before leaving. Emily closes the door and returns to her room. A few minutes later, there's another knock on the door. Emily sighs in frustration and goes to answer the door. She has a feeling that it's Jay again.

'Look, I told you. I'm-' Emily says opening the door but shockingly, it's not Jay.

'Hello Emily.' They smirk.

~~~~

I have a quick question.
How many chapters should I make this story. Should I continue it up to the end of the year or finish it within, for example, the next 10 chapter?

Also, who do you think it is at the end?

Let me know!

Chloe