Stolen (Joe Sugg AU)

Chapter Twenty: Bite the Bullet

Warning: Slightly Intense Scenes in this chapter!

"I know you won't shoot," my dad said. But regardless of that he raised his hands in the air. I could hear movement behind me, hopefully the others picking up their guns. Or well, Joe and Dexter because I had Alfie's.

"Don't test me," I replied. Now in this situation I didn't know what to do. Do I run? Do I tell him to let me go in peace? Because no matter what I will end up back in his grip.

"Okay okay, but just so you don't make any mistakes, why don't you put down the gun? Let's talk this through like people."

"People?" I scoffed. "You aren't a person! You're an animal! You don't deserve to walk among people." The words tasted bitter on my tongue but I couldn't contain it any longer.

I could feel my whole body shaking, and it became hard to grip the gun. My mind was running wild and I could feel tears start to slip out of my eyes. I couldn't tell what the right thing to do anymore was, and I was trapped. Take a life or have my life taken. Run away to be chased or forever be a captive. Always two impossible choices and I always choose the one that isn't selfish.

"Let's make a deal; if you don't shoot and come with me, I'll tell you about your mom," my dad said. He smiled and it made him looked more evil. But he caught my attention.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered.

"Do you want to know where she is? Or I can actually arrange for you guys to meet again. Would you like that?"

"Alex, don't listen to him. Your mom is dead," Dexter said to me.

"No, she isn't. I made that up. Alex, your mom is still alive in America. We can go now, and you can see her again. You guys can be together again! Doesn't that sound nice?"

His words stabbed at me like knives. I wanted to believe that she was still alive, but the odds that she was didn't sound so right.

"I don't believe you," I said.

"But you should. I can make a call and you can hear her voice if you'd like."

It was so tempting, that for a moment I wavered, but that was all it took for my dad to grab the gun away from me. I screamed, but it was muffled as a gun shot rang in the air. I looked and saw that Dexter had been the one to shoot, and when I looked back at my dad, I could see blood coming out of his shirt. He placed his hand over his wound and fell to the ground.

"Dad!" I cried, leaning down next to him. He started coughing and blood splattered out of his mouth.

"Alex," he croaked.

"Dad," I said. I stroked his face, and I stared into his green eyes that resembled mine. I could see his eyes dilate from the pain he was feeling, and for some reason, it was like I could feel the wound in his chest in my heart.

"T-this isn't over," he whispered, and he went limp. The life in his eyes faded away and turned into glass, staring into oblivion.

"Alex," Joe said, coming to my side and picking me off the ground. I could hear both Robin and Cooper in the plane, trying to get away. But the sound of sirens echoed around us and police cars and helicopters surrounded us.

Joe held me as I stood frozen with shock. I wasn't crying uncontrollably, but tears wouldn't stop streaming down my face. I felt numb. I should be glad that I wouldn't be taken away, that I didn't have to take a life, but it felt like I did. If it weren't for me, the others wouldn't have had to go through all this. Dexter wouldn't have killed my dad. And maybe I could have met my mom.