YOURS

Chapter 37

A week has passed since the 4th of July scare.

Mark has been put on paid leave. So has Helen. He's trying to pretend he isn't morning the loss of his baby anymore. After the night we found him trying to drown himself is alcohol, I think he's embarrassed.

None of us have left the house. We haven't really talked much either. There is something about surviving death for the 3rd or 4th time that really makes us want to keep to ourselves.

Cole and I have heard Mark talking on the phone to what we assume are buddies at the station. They've been telling Mark details about what happened the night of the fireworks.

There were 10 people who ended up dead. It made State news. Apparently some guy held the person lighting the fireworks off at gun point. They shot him as he tried to run away and starting throwing molotovs down at everyone. No one knows the goal of this 'hit'.

Cole, Mark, and I do. Mark isn't telling his co workers about what he knows, though. Which is good, I think.

I knocked on Cole's bedroom door.

"Come in." He said aloud.

I walked in slowly eyeing where he was sitting, on his bed with his backpack. He was putting away what looked like pictures and papers.

"What's that?" I asked.

Cole shook his head. "Nothing."

"Is there something you're not telling me?" There weren't many things I was hiding from Cole anymore.

How about him?

"I pushed us to go out that night, I'm sorry." He blurted.

I sat on the bed next to him. The guest room didn't have much, only a full sized bed and a dresser. It had a lamp an alarm clock too.

"It's not your fault."

I was telling the truth, wasn't I?

"I still think it's our best bet, to bring the fight to Zac. He's not coming here."

"Do we know that for sure?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Maybe we can lure him in? Stage Mark leaving? If that's not enough, stage you and Mark leaving? I'd be alone. He might go for that?"

Because of everything that's happened you'd think the FBI would have this house on watch but no, instead they've just had Mark check in weekly by call. They stopped caring when they realized their men were in serious danger here. I believe they'd rather have me die so this can be over with than more of their men come protect me and die in the process.

I've had weekly therapy calls that I answer questions with basic responses for the 30 minutes I'm required to talk.

I'm not sure even my therapist, the one who is supposed to care...even does anymore.

What will happen when this is all over? Will I go back to my foster mom? Does she still want me? Does she still remember what I'm like? Do I remember her? Where will Cole go? What will he do without me? What will I do without him?

Be normal, I suppose.

"It's a possibilily but I'm not taking that chance. I'm not leaving you."

"Why not? You leave me to do other things."

Cole huffed. "Like what?"

"You come in this room all the time and want to be left alone. We sleep in different rooms-" He cut me off.