Snow and her Seven

Chapter 29- New Endings

Last chapters fam.

I think maybe one more after this? 

**

Gervais cried. 

He cried as he held his daughter. She sobbed in his arms, tears falling quickly and steadily down her face as she let everything out. It mingled with the blood on her skin that now stained his white shirt, but he only gripped her tighter as her legs failed her, keeping his own rage and pain on a tight leash so his daughter could purge.

Those moments where he had come to Landon's house and heard gunshots, thinking that he may have been late, were moments too long and too anxiety-ridden he doubted he could live through them again. 

Snow sunk her nails into his arms, calming as she watched her friend being driven off, a new determination in her eyes, one that he had only seen once before. A determination that shone in the eyes of her seven-year-old self, after he had taken her back from the foster family who had made her stare down gun holes and play sick games of Russian roulette. 

His daughter, his beautiful, beautiful daughter, was too good for this world.

And when he had heard her ask him, "Do you really love me?" Everything in him had stopped. She doubted him for real reasons. He had left her, worked until he had no energy supposedly to support her forever.

But he had had enough money- had more than enough money in reality- so why did he stay away? 

Because, he realized at long last, I was distancing myself from someone that reminded me of my guilt. 

Guilt at not saving her all those years ago, guilt at not protecting her from her mother or those monsters for people, guilt at leaving her to defend herself when she was only a child. 

He was a coward. 

But there was still time to make-up for that cowardice. He stroked her hair as she calmed down, pulling her back and wiping the blood from her face with his thumbs. 

"You're alive Snowflake. And daddy is here." 

Her bottom lip quivered, and for a moment he saw that same seven-year-old, struggling to fight her tears to look strong again. 

"I'm sorry for what I said daddy. I'm so sorry." 

He pressed his lips together and shook his head, hugging her close again as more tears came. "You're alright. I'm sorry I wasn't home sooner, and I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner."

That blonde boy had called him with files of many people, all with evidence of criminal activity for Gervais and his police connections to start bringing in. Then, that Abel boy had told him to talk to the moles in the business and start interrogating them properly but subtly- in a way only Gervais Black could- to get them to tell him the composition of security and of Landon's mansion.

And when Snow had gone in this morning, without warning, all their careful plans had to be sped up, especially since she only messaged Felix about her going in. But that just showed him about how much she trusted those boys, especially if it was her life on the line. 

His daughter had grown up. 

A phone rang in Snow's pocket and she pulled away to answer it, clearing her throat. 

"Snow." 

The person on the other line spoke and she ran a hand through her hair anxiously, checking the time. "Good. I'm glad you are all safe. I will meet you at the hospital in ten minutes."

Then she hung up and looked back to him. 

"I've missed you."

****

Snow watched her best friend struggle to breathe. His chest stuttered up and down, pain written in every line of his medically induced unconsciousness. Tears welled in her eyes, but she angrily wiped them away, refusing to let them fall.

Crying had solved nothing for her.

"He'll be okay Snow. Our Mave always pulls through." Tanner murmured, rubbing a hand down her back as she sat there, gaze intense on Mavon's  black and blue face. There was no doubt about it, it was her fault. Mavon had placated her initial worries, calming her down when he had volunteered to be bait instead of using herself. 

She shouldn't have let him do it. 

A person blocked her vision, standing wide and strong, big hands splayed in front of her face. 

"Come on Snow."

She clenched her jaw, eyes flicking up to the soft face of Dominic. He always knew what she was thinking, and this time was no different. The worry line between his brows, the gentle turn lop sided smile, every inch of him looked so inviting. Warm. 

"I shouldn't have let him do it." Snow cursed as the last syllable in her voice broke. A distinctive part of Snow's personality. Her propensity to blame herself for things, situations that were beyond her own control. But when someone had as much power as she, and the other wealthy patrons of the world, they each believed that they had a higher degree of control over problems, places, people. 

So blame was hers to take. 

"You're being a dumb ass." 

Breath hitched in the room, all holding in gasps at the mere thought of disrespecting Snow in such a way. But when they looked at the doorway and scowled outwardly as the battered form of Brutus entered the cramped space, forcefully pushing through Felix and Abel. 

"Mavon knew what he was getting himself into, you all fucking knew what you were getting yourselves into. But because you all love Snow and each other like family, there really was no other option."

Brutus shook his head, moving Tanner out of the way to place a gentle hand on Mavon's sweaty forehead. The air was somber, the shadows on everyone's faces darkening as the beep of Mavon's heartbeat filled the room.

"There was no other option." Brutus repeated. "But we've paid the price now. And nothing will stop my baby brother from living."

Snow nodded her head a fraction, sliding her hand into Mavon's limp fingers. 

"We'll live. We all will."