Hope For Us Yet

Chapter Twelve - Final Stand

"We need to get out", I whisper.

"What was that, sweetie?", Taylor asks.

"We need to get out"

"What's wrong, Ell-"

"Jerry, take Taylor and the kid and drive as far away from here as possible"

"Why? What on earth-"

I can't keep this up anymore. I drop the phone and scoop up the baby from Taylor's arms. She stands up and is about to ask what I'm doing but there's a knock at the door. That can't be him, that's too fast. But I take no chances.

"Everyone to the back door!"

Taylor sighs, agitated, "Ella, please explain what this is about"

"There's no time! Come he- Jerry, don't open the door!"

Too late.

"Am I interrupting something?", comes a voice. Angelo.

"Oh my god", I breathe. "It's you"

"Ok, I'm lost", Jerry says, holding up her hands.

"He's here, I followed him", Angelo says to me, ignoring Jerry's statement.

"Back door. Now", I say while moving my sister and Taylor towards the end of the room. "Angelo, you can try to stop-"

"Yeah yeah, just go"

I knod and we hastily move.

"Can someone please tell me what's happening?", Taylor asks, keeping an eye on the baby in my arms.

I can't answer. I don't want to. As we reach our car and buckle up, Angelo rings me from the penthouse.

"You gone yet?", he asks.

"Just about to. Is he there yet?"

"No. But I'm staying here till he is. Drive as deep into the city as you can, it's safer"

"Right. Be careful"

"Don't worry about me"

With nervous fingers I switch off my phone and begin to drive. My heart thumps loudly, hurting my chest and making me sweat. This doesn't feel real. It's nightmarish. Taylor's concerned eyes watch me in the mirror. She hugs tightly to the baby, stroking her hair and giving wondering glances towards Jerry.

"It's Mark, OK?", I yell.

Taylor gasps. Jerry sinks deeper into her seat.

"He doesn't want anything to do with the baby, surely", Jerry says.

"I'm pretty sure it's Taylor he wants", I say, avoiding her gaze.

"I'm not afraid of him anymore, Ell. I can handle him"

"No you don't understand, he's gone crazy, who knows what he's capable of! God knows why we weren't alerted of his release"

"Alright, everyone relax. Let's just go somewhere busy so we won't be found", Jerry says, calmly.

"That's exactly what I'm doing"

The phone rings. Already?

"Sis, where are you?"

"Not even that far in yet. Why?"

"He's not coming into the house. He's on his way"

"On his way?"

"I tried to stop him but he took to his car and made off, I'm on his tail, just keep driving"

"Angelo!"

"I'm sorry!"

I speed up. No one's getting hurt, not today, not ever. I'm not letting him ruin anything. I've waited too long to get where I am now. I'm done with letting life punch me in the stomach.

Suddenly, two cars appear behind me, both driving at the same atrocious speed as I am. An enraged face sits in the one directly behind me. Angelo furiously tags on.

"Hold on to something", I warn and break the car.

The cars race past us. Now we've some time to hide.

"I was going to stay at home today", Jerry sighs.

"Is this really the time?", I groan. "Go with Taylor, I'll keep an eye out in case they come back"

"I'm not leaving you!", Taylor sobs, holding onto my arm.

"I'll be fine, it's you that needs to be protected. And the baby. Trust me, I'll be okay"

"Oh please no", she whimpers.

I lean up and kiss her. Jerry then takes her hand and they hurry away.

This is it. I need to be brave. For Taylor. For our family. Soon enough the cars return, screeching to a halt by some other vehicles parked neatly in a row. A tall bulky figure rises from the first car, hands in angry fists, jaws tightly clenched. Angelo hurries out from his own.

"Ella! Run!"

And I do. Away from the direction of the of where Taylor and Jerry ran. I need to outsmart this guy first. With quick feet I sprint away from Markus, hoping that Angelo gets what I'm doing.

"Where are you going?", he says with a crazed smirk.

There's a studio that I sometimes do some recording in. I could lead him to the roof and keep him there until Taylor is safe. I could trap him. Picking up speed I try to remember the streets that I race through. It isn't too far away. This could actually work.

Eventually I find the building. It's locked. Markus is nowhere in sight but I'm not letting that relax me. I ring the bell over and over until somebody answers.

"Once is enough!", a voice calls from the speaker outside.

"Danni! You have to let me in!"

"Ella? You don't have any slots for today"

"I'm being chased!"

As if he heard me, Markus appears out of the crowded streets. The door falls open and I tumble into the building. Danni looks down at me with a questioning gaze. I shakily stand and rush past her. I can hear the boys too. They've got inside. Now I just need them on the roof.

"Hey! Who are-", Danni is pushed aside.

I find the stairs and desperately climb them, two at a time. Heavy feet clamber behind me.

"Don't look back Ella! Just keep going!", my brother yells. I'm beginning to cry. But I need to focus. Breaking down isn't going to help me.

I'm here. Bursting through the door I'm greeted with by the harsh daylight. I sprint onto the roof, the wind billowing through my curls.

"Where is she?!", Markus shouts, "Tell me where they went!"

"Like I'd tell", I spit in Marks face.

Angelo shuts the door with a firm slam. "Be careful, Ell", he pants, leaning against the metal.

"Why do you even want her anymore? She's not coming back Mark. She's with me. She has a kid. And yet you keep trying?"

He bunches his hair in his fists, his face is an angry crimson.

"Why do you keep trying?", I repeat, breathless.

"Because I've never been in a relationship as long before with anyone else!", he spits. "I thought she was the one!"

"The relationship lasted because you forced her to stay with you! Give up already!", I scream.

He scans me up and down. His heavy body looming towards me. Angelo tries to stop him but he's thrown aside. I brace myself for what's about to happen. This is it.
But after a few seconds of nothing I open my eyes to see Markus at the other side of the roof. He climbs up onto the ledge and looks out over the city.

"I didn't mean-"

"I don't care anymore", he interrupts. "Take care of her"

And with one last defeated gaze, he jumps.