Safe House

Chapter 10

The next morning Erin goes back to the Halstead farm with Jay. She goes to see Penny first, but she stops dead in her tracks when she sees 'I found you' painted in red just outside her stall.

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She just stands there staring at the paint as it dries. Her blood runs cold; her skin becomes as white as a sheet, and at some point tears run down her cheeks. When she's able to form coherent thoughts, she thinks about how she has to leave. She thinks about how she can't put anyone else through this, Charlie wants her, and she's afraid of what he'll do to get her. She's bad news, no matter where she goes, or how many good people she meets, her past and her demons find her and drag her back down. She can't bring this family down with her, she has to go.

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"So you told mom to ask Nat and I to give her another grandchild?" Will says to his younger brother, with a laugh as they slowly walk to the stables.

"Yeah sorry about that." Jay says, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No you're not."

"No I'm not, she was asking me if I was using protection with Erin, and I tried to avert the topic elsewhere."

"Oh baby brother are you not ready for that yet?"

"Not really, and don't call me that."

"What, baby brother?" Will says teasingly.

"Seriously Will." Jay says, glaring at his brother.

"Alright, but uh I actually brought it up cause mom's going to get what she wants in about seven months."

"Really?" Jay says, not really believing his brother, but he can tell by the look on his face that he's not pulling his leg.

"Congrats man." Jay says patting his brother on the back.

"Thanks, but you're having the next one." Will says, giving Jay's a light shove.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Jay says as they round the corner into the stables. Jay almost walks right through the paint, but Will sees it, and grabs his brother's shirt pulling him back.

"What?" Jay asks Will, before following his brother's line of sight. He gulps, and goes to pull Erin into him, but she pushes him away. He doesn't understand, but instead of trying again, he decides to call the unit, and within twenty minutes they're all there; taking pictures and searching in and all around the stables for evidence. Adam finds red footprints that lead from the words, to just outside of the building.

Jay goes over where Erin is pacing in front of a couple of the stalls. Her face is stained from tears, and her hands are trembling as she bites at her nails.

"Hey." He says from a couple feet away. She looks at him, a tear slowly rolling down her cheek, as she shakes her head, about what he's not sure, but it makes him want to pull her into him more. He takes another step towards her, but she takes one back. He moves closer to her again, but this time he doesn't stop, and wraps his arms around her. Her palms lay flat against his chest trying to push him away, but he won't let her. She gives in eventually, and though her body is still tense, and rigid, he feels her melt into his embrace. She buries her face in his chest, and her hands clutch his shirt, as he strokes the back of her head, and places a comforting, lingering kiss to her temple. The fabric of his shirt slowing becomes darker as her tears soak through to his skin.

Kim cautiously walks towards them to ask Erin a couple of questions, but Erin still doesn't talk, she just nods or shakes her head to answer the questions. Kevin comes to get Jay, and they go to where Adam and Al are looking at the footprints.