Chapter 8

Jude

SPOV: I had no idea how much time had passed. The Darkness never let up and I still had no way of moving any part of my body. It was strange but I had started to get used to it, the numbness was better than the never ending misery I had felt when Callum left. While I lay there I had had time to think about all of the things that had happened since Callum had been released from prison, though the numbness made it hard to figure out how I really felt about any of this.

Grief suddenly ripped through me tearing out part of my chest and leaving an aching hole behind I tried to cry out but I couldn't open my mouth. I wanted to writhe with the pain that was coursing through me but my body didn't oblige. The grief mixed with betrayal and loathing as it continued its poisonous journey through me. Through the agony I was feeling I managed to wonder why this pain had suddenly crashed down on me. The emotion then began to change ever so slightly; the grief and hurt became tinged with a miniscule triumphant glow the betrayal faded slightly but the anger flared just as strong.

CPOV: The three sharp knocks on the door woke me up faster than any cup of coffee could. I knew that knock. Resigning to the fact he would let himself in as I had forgot to lock the door in my haste last night I began looking around for my boxers. My eyes came to rest on the naked woman sleeping next to me. Without the harsh light of the bar I could fully appreciate the delicate features of her face and her slender frame but realising now was not the time I pulled the sheet over her and picked my boxers off the floor and pulled them on as a tall muscular man with cropped brown hair dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans stepped into Sephy's flat. I knew who it was without even looking up but did anyway; I stared at his gaunt face taking in the subtle changes the last few years had made. No amount of time would ever make him unrecognisable to me.
"Hey, there little bro"
Jude.

SPOV: I lay there for what could have been hours or seconds wanting to hit something or someone. The different emotions came in waves; I would feel so angry at one moment then just want to curl up and cry myself to sleep. It then began to change again; now I was scared and this fear let the cold numbness lift from my toes and fingers. Although I could not see them I could feel them moving around in the dark.

CPOV: This dramatic entrance had caused some movement from the girl in my bed and we both turned to look at her. She sat up holding the bed sheet to her looking completely confused. I opened my mouth to explain but as ever Jude got there before me.
"Jude" he announced as he walked over to her holding out a hand Abby shook it uncertainly as he went on "This fine man's brother" he motioned towards me.
"Well don't mind me" she said regaining some of the composure she had had back in the bar as she got out of the bed still clutching the sheet around her "If you don't mind in off for a shower" then walked straight into the tiny bathroom not forgetting to throw me a filthy look in the process.

"Nice one" Jude said nodding his approval at me
"Gave up with the Dagger bitch did you? Fancy something a little lighter?" If I hadn't been so shocked to see him would have hit him right there.
"Must say Cal, she is pretty f..."
"What do you want?" I asked in a curt, confused voice
"Well maybe a cup of tea is a good place to start?" He said, smiling, the expression looked alien on his face. I obliged wordlessly sticking the kettle on and using this time to find yesterdays t-shirt and jeans.
"So does the Dagger know your white ass is getting some while she is dying?" The smile on his face and the way he was leaning oh-so-casually against the worktop made something inside me snap. Before I really knew what I was doing I balled up a fist and swung it at his smirking face. It smashed into his jaw and I immediately regretted it. I had used the same arm I had barged the door down with and pain ripped through my arm, I only just managed to conceal it from my face as Jude recovered from the impact. "What the fuck, Cal?" He asked running his hand along his jaw staring at me full of anger. He began to walk slowly towards me and I knew a retaliatory punch would be coming to me unless I did something.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I found myself shouting, not really knowing what I was doing, "DON'T YOU DARE COME IN HERE ALL COCKY, INSULTING SEPHY AND SMIRKING LIKE A TWAT!" All of the joking had gone from his face; all that was left now was the Jude I remembered from my LM days, cold, hard and unforgiving.
"You don't want me as your enemy Callum" he replied in a sinister voice "You of all people should know that"

"Why the hell are you even here?" I found myself saying as I began to calm down slightly but only because I knew I would be no match for my older brother.
"Im here to take you back where you belong" He replied as though it was obvious and considering I didn't even know where I belonged I was slightly confused. This must have shown on my face as Jude then went continued "How long did you really think you would get away with it Callum? Are you really so naive?"
No, he couldn't be talking about that.
"Once you're in you never get out" Jude was getting closer to me and in the distance I heard the shower turn off.
"It's time for you to return to the LM little bro" This time there was no joking in the nickname. He said it in a condescending way, only enraging me further.
The bathroom door opened but neither of us looked at the pretty girl in her underwear; we only had eyes for each other.

"I will never serve in that terrorist group again" I hissed, barley moving my mouth and my eyes never leaving Jude's. "Now get out of my flat or I will make you regret it"

For a moment Jude looked like he might stand down and just leave but he just stood there with a cocky grin on his face staring at me and said "Your better than this Callum, your better than a seedy flat with a dying Dagger bitch girlfriend and a pretty little whore as a bed warmer" Anger was boiling inside me as he continued "You could make a real change in this world, you could be a hero"

As ashamed as I am to admit it I almost felt tempted by the offer but I knew it was ridiculous. To distract Jude from the subject I walked towards the kettle. I found mugs, teabags and sugar all the while with Jude's eyes on me.

When I turned around to face him with the two mugs in my hands and saw Jude stood there staring at me with an ever confused and pissed off Abby in the background. I thrust the tea into Jude's hand and turned my attention to Abby. "Look, I'm sorry about last night. This isn't a great time for me though."

She shot me another glare and said "Well I had things to be doing anyway so don't let me get in your way" In a voice full of poison. With that the grabbed her clothes, pulled them on and slammed the door leaving the flat in a tense silence.

I then turned back to Jude, the calculating look that was never far from his face firmly in place and the untouched tea in his hand. "Callum, I know you're not stupid so listen to me. You are going to have to come back one way or the other, if you don't come with me it is not going to be pretty for either of us"

I let this shocking information sink in for a while as I contemplated my mug. "To be honest Jude I don't give a damn about you and I think I will take my chances with the rest of you bastards" Jude stood there for a moment as I met his gaze. He then set the mug down on the worktop and walked towards the door. He paused just before he got there and turned back to me "You are making a big mistake little bro" and then left. I could only hope that would be last time I would see him.

SPOV:

As the light returned to my life it bought all the pain back with it. I had already gone through a huge roll of emotion and now it was changing again. The fear was being replaced with heart wrenching worry.

It also bought an annoying beep with it and a flashing light in my eyes. I tried to open them but I wasn't ready for that yet. I could feel that most of my body was free from the darkness now and it wouldn't be long before I was back completely. The only problem was that I wasn't sure if I wanted to go back.

The beeping got louder and other sounds were added. There were undistinguishable voices as well. The flashing was becoming more erratic and then I found the strength to open my eyes.

People were everywhere there was so much noise and motion it was completely distracted from the terrible anguish planted in my chest. I could now locate the beeping- it was coming from the heart monitor on my left and the voices, still unintelligible was changing from panicked to calmer. The flashing then started again and this time it came with the image of a doctor leaning over me shining a penlight in my eyes. He was only there for a second but I saw him smile and murmur something to someone out of sight. As my eyes began to work again I could see more and more faces but none of them were the one I wanted to see

"Callum"