Sutton fumbled with the hem of her shirt. Her heart pounded as they waited for Alec in that vacant parking lot. The sun was beginning to set. Sutton leaned against the door. Emma sat in the drivers side, her foot bounced wildly on the pavement. Finally Alec pulled up and rolled down his window. "You're late." Sutton stated pushing herself off the car and walking to the window.
"Excuse me? I got what you need. If you're ready, I'm ready." He said not even pushing his dark sunglasses off her face.
"I'll make the call." Sutton said. She fumbled with her phone and recalled the last incoming call. Her hand shook as she waited for an answer.
"Do you have the money." It wasn't Thayer who answered the phone, instead it was Olivia. Her voice was dark and sadistic. "Kendall's been asking about you."
"Don't touch her." Sutton warned. "I have your fucking money."
"Good. I've already tracked your GPS. Don't leave, Sutton Mercer. I'll bring you your child." Olivia said. "Oh and Sutton?"
Sutton's voice was low, "What?"
"You better be alone." She warned. then she cut the call.
Sutton looked at her phone, "I'd be stupid to be alone." She said as if Olivia could hear her.
It seemed like hours while they waited for Olivia to arrive. Alec tried making small talk, but Sutton didn't want anything to do with it. She turned to Alec. "Give me the money and drive behind the building. Take Emma with you. If she sees people here she isn't going to pull in here and she'll hurt Kendall."
"I'm not leaving you alone." Emma protested.
Sutton turned to her twin sister, "It's for your safety, Emma. Get in the car and go." She said pushing her towards Alec's car. Alec handed Sutton a manila envelope and Emma got in the car.
"I'm not leaving the property. If you need help, I've got a gun." Alec stated.
"I've got one too." Sutton said, she stared out into the road watching clueless drivers pass by. She looked for any sign that Olivia was close.
"Where did you get a gun?" Emma asked Leaning over the drivers seat to look at her sister.
"It doesn't matter." Sutton said. "Now, go. Hurry."
Alec pulled out of the parking spot and slowly made his way to the back alley of the abandoned building. Sutton stood now alone in that empty parking lot. Her heart pounded as she waited. It wasn't long before a car pulled in. Sutton drew in a breath. She remained calm as the window of that black Acura SUV rolled down. It was the first time Sutton had ever seen Olivia. She looked like the type of girl Thayer would date. She craned her neck looking for a sign that her daughter was in that car. It wasn't long before she heard the toddler's voice shouting her name. Sutton felt her heart pound, "I want my kid."
"I want my money." Olivia demanded. She killed the ignition of her car and rested her arm on the window.
"What do you need so much money for?" She asked.
"That's none of your business." She stated.
"Fine. Get my child out of your car." She demanded. She flashed Olivia the packed folder knowing she wasn't lying about the money.
Olivia opened the door and moved the back door. She unbuckled Kendall's seat belt. Kendall slipped out of the car, but Olivia kept a tight grip on Kendall's arm, making sure she didn't run. "Put the money on the ground and take ten steps behind you." Olivia instructed.
When Kendall saw Sutton she smiled, "MOMMY!" She called.
Sutton did as she was instructed. When she stopped Olivia looked at her. "Don't move." She said.
Sutton put up both her hands, "Pass me the gun under your chair." Alec said to Emma.
Emma swallowed hard. She did as he asked, "Are you going to shoot her?" Emma asked.
Alec cocked the gun and opened his door, "I'm getting my granddaughter back." He said.
"No!" Emma tried to stop him, "It looks like she is going to make the trade. Don't fuck it up."
Alec whipped around and glared at Emma, "Just shut your mouth and stay here." He spat angrily at her. "I know what I am doing." Then he took off down the parking lot, the gun extended before him.
When Olivia saw him she pulled Kendall tightly in her arms. Sutton looked up at Alec, "What the hell are you doing?" She shouted.
Olivia grabbed a gun from under Kendall's seat. She pressed the gun to the toddler's head and Sutton's heart pounded. "I told you to come alone." She shouted at Sutton. The cold winter air blew a chill through her body. Her blue eyes pierced through Sutton's brown ones. Olivia shook her head, "You didn't listen to me, Sutton. So now she has to pay." She cocked back the gun. Sutton felt a sharp pain stab in her chest. Kendall looked at Sutton. Her eyes pleaded with her mothers. Fear poured from the little girls face.
"I didn't ask him to come!" Sutton pleaded. She took a step towards Olivia. Her voice tried to remain calm even though she was terrified on the inside.
"Don't come near me!" Olivia demanded. She shook the gun against Kendall's skull. Kendall squeezed her eyes shut like she knew what was going to happen. Sutton stopped cold. Her hands still up, palms facing Olivia.
Sutton glared at Alec angrily, if Kendall died today it would have been his fault. She looked back at Olivia, "Look. It's me you're mad at. Shoot me. Go on. But don't kill my baby." She tried to remain calm though the cold words, don't kill my baby, stung her. She felt hot tears pierce the frigid winter air. Her heart pounded. Olivia stared at Sutton, "You're a mother too. Could you ever witness someone murder your son in cold blood?" She breathed heavily, her lungs stung from the dry air but she didn't give it a moments thought.
Olivia shook the gun against Kendall, "This isn't about my son!" She shouted. "I told you to come here alone and you didn't listen to me. So now she pays." Her finger wavered over the trigger. Kendall looked up at Sutton. A silent goodbye passed between them and suddenly a shot rang out, echoing against the brick walls. Birds from a near by tree scattered into the sky.
After a moment, Sutton opened her eyes. Her heart pounded with what she was about to see. Her baby in a puddle of her own blood. She tried to brace herself. By her foot, a stream of blood pooled around her and for a moment the world seemed to be silent. Like she'd popped her ears. It all sounded far away. She stood there staring at the blood, knowing it was her daughter's. Her heart stopped not wanting to look up. From a far she could hear someone yelling out her name, siren's blaring. The red lights flashing coming closer. The next thing she knew Emma was holding her. Clinging her to her chest. But Sutton felt weighted and lifeless. The world seemed to spin. A paramedic rushed to her side wrapping a blue blanket around her and Emma's shoulders. "Sutton, are you okay?" Emma asked trying to rattle the life back into her twin sister. Sutton silently shook her head. Emma pulled her tighter.
"How could she do that?" Sutton muttered almost incoherently.
Emma searched Sutton's eyes. "Sutton. Sutton look at me."
Sutton's dead eyes gazed up to meet her sisters, "She killed my baby." She muttered.
Emma wrapped her arms around Sutton, "No. Alec shot her before she could hurt Kendall. Sutton, Kendall's fine."
Suddenly, it was like someone flipped on the on switch in Sutton's body. She peered over her sisters shoulder. Sure enough there was Alec sitting on the back on the ambulance, Kendall wrapped tightly in his arm, Dan Whitehorse talking to him. When Sutton's eyes met her daughter's both smiled. Sutton dropped the blanket and ran towards her daughter. She scooped up the child and pressed her to her chest. There was never a greater moment in her life than the one she was having now. She pressed a kiss to the back of her daughter's head and looked up. Two paramedics in long blue pants and dark blue sweatshirts pulled a yellow blanket over Olivia's lifeless body. For a split moment, her heart broke for Olivia. Maybe it broke for her son and for Thayer. But when she looked back at her child safely secured in her arms, she couldn't feel all that bad. After all, Olivia kidnapped Kendall. She threatened to kill her daughter. Alec only shot her to save Kendall's life. "Are you okay?" Sutton asked, pulling the child off her shoulder. Kendall looked at her and nodded. She pressed her back into her body suddenly not wanting to let Kendall go.
When Sutton saw Alec walking towards them she looked at him, "What did Dan say?" She swayed her shoulders in a soothing motion like she'd done many times when Kendall was a baby. The toddler rested her head on her mothers chest sucking her fingers.
Alec drew in a breath, "Well, I'm on suspension until all this is investigated."
"You lost your job?" Sutton shook her head, a sinking feeling in her chest.
"Just until all of this is investigated. Sutton I killed someone." He said looking at her with seriousness.
"In self defense!" She protested.
"No. I killed her to save my granddaughter. That's not self defense. It's still murder no matter which way you slice it." He said. "Look, I don't regret what I did. My family will always come first."
For the first time in a long time, Sutton looked at Alec with a level of understanding, "So she's not a mistake anymore?"
"I didn't say that. But she's my granddaughter. She's my family. I'd do it for Maddie and T. I'd even do it for you, Sutton." He said. He gave her a smile like a white flag finally being raised. After all these years he'd protested against getting to know Kendall and referring to her as the 'mistake,' he was finally throwing in the towel. Maybe seeing his granddaughter in danger set him straight.
Sutton smiled, "Thank you, Alec. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be holding my child right now. So thank you." She wrapped her free arm around her godfather and pulled him into a hug.
A/N: Who all breathed a sigh of relief? Y'all didn't think I'd kill a precious child off my story, right? I am going to focus on a few fluff chapters and start building up towards Emma's wedding. So stick with me! COMMENT!