Chapter 13: If I Die Young

Ember and Reid drove towards her house in silence. "I can go in… if you want." Reid offered as he parked the car in her driveway, and leaned back in his seat. Ember just stared at the house through the front window. Casey. She thought as her eyes scanned the front lawn. She recognized the flowers that she had helped her plant for 'Earth day'. Her eyes watered as she blinked turning her head towards the front door.

"You've been through a lot today Ember." Reid said softly as his hand took hers. She faced him, he saw her eyes glistening, and then the tears slid down her face slowly. Leaning in Reid pressed his mouth to hers gently. His heart constricted at the amount of pain Ember was in. Pulling back he watched her take in a steadying breath. Then she got out of the car. He quickly followed her lead as he trailed after her to the door. She didn't bother knocking. She just shoved the door open, and walked in quickly.

"What the hell have you been doing?" Ember and Reid stopped in the living room. A man's voice was heard from the kitchen. Reid slid an arm around Ember and started to pull her with him back outside only Ember wouldn't move, she stood there, shocked.

"What the hell have I been doing?" A female's voice screeched. "I've been trying to care for our daughters!" It was Ember's mother. Leaving the guy to be Ember's father.

"You've done a hell of a job, Mads. One was just in the hospital on account of her abusive boyfriend, and the other one was murdered –by said abusive boyfriend!" There was a pause, "And worst of all Madeline! You knew! You knew this whole time that he was beating her, but you couldn't have been bothered enough to help her. Why? Oh, that's right. You were paid."

Ember's father's really giving it to Ember's mom, and why not? She deserves it. Reid thought as he felt Ember's body tremble slightly. "C'mon." Reid began. "Let's get out of here." He finished whispering to Ember. She, however didn't hear him. She pulled herself away from him and ran into the kitchen. Reid raced after her. He was behind her his eyes moved back and forth between the two adults. Madeline, Ember's mother looked weathered and old. Her roots of dark hair were showing and her eyes seemed vacant, and tired, while Ember's father looked put together, wealthy, healthy and strong. He was turned facing his daughter, Ember stared right back.

"Ember…" Her dad said softly his eyes scanning her up and down. "You've gotten so big." He added as his face was lit up with a smile.

"What're you doing here?" Ember asked him, her voice blank of any emotion.

"I- I- um. I- heard about what happened, and-." Then as if he just noticed Reid his eyes shifted from Ember to him. "You." Her dad said his voice suddenly changed to one of anger. "How dare you even show your face here. You have no right-."

"Oh, Walter, shut up. That's not even him." Madeline cut him off sharply as she turned and went into the fridge pulling out a bottle of port wine. Popping the cork she let it fall off the counter to the floor and took a long swig from the bottle.

"What? You're not her boyfriend?" Walter asked his eyes looking between Ember and him.

"Uhm… Well, I- I am. Now, but I'm her new boyfriend." Reid answered as he slid his arm around Ember again. Ember looked at her father.

"So, you came here because what? I was put in the hospital, and Casey was killed? Oh, well. I'm so glad that's all it took to get your attention, Dad." Ember added the dad on for an additional blow. She'd said it sarcastically.

"Sweetheart. I- I didn't-. I've been trying to see you. I- I've been talking to your-. Well, I guess that explains why you've never gotten the messages." As Ember's dad finished his sentence he sent a glare to Ember's now buzzed mother.

"If you knew where we were, why didn't you come see us before?" Ember asked her arms crossing over her chest defensively.

"I only just found out after this incident. I called in some connections with the news editors, and what not. Somehow the reporter covering your story was able to give me your address. I had to prove I was your biological father, of course-."

Reid watched Walter as he babbled on. He was clearly nervous about seeing his daughter, he was still shocked, probably by Ember looking so different. He had to have left by the time Ember was at least ten give or take a year. "What do you want?" Ember cut him off coldly. Reid found Ember's disposition to be somewhat hostile, but he wasn't going to interrupt. It wasn't his position to, he felt somewhat uncomfortable being here. "I- I can leave-?" Reid began, but Ember's hand gripping his arm tightly told him she'd preferred for him to stay with her. So he braved through the awkwardness and pulled her closer to him.

"I wanted to see you. I wanted to- to offer-…" Walter stopped talking at that. His eyes focused on Ember now.

"He wants you to live with him in Miami." Madeline said bluntly. She was now holding herself up by leaning on the counter, the bottle half gone. "The reason why is beyond me. I don't understand how he'll put up with you, but… whatever. You're his problem now."

Ember's expression didn't change at the statement. It was still blank, neutral. She didn't even flinch from the insult her mother just blatantly stated. "Madeline, Don't talk-!"

"Walter, you shut up! You haven't had to deal with her growing up like I have! As soon as she hit fifteen, everything changed!"

"Gee, I wonder why?" Ember asked as she glared to her mother. Reid swallowed nervously at the sudden tension. "It would have had nothing to do with the fact that I was being thrown around, would it?" Ember asked as she stepped away from Reid and closer to her mother. Walter caught on and took a step back from the women.

"And, when I finally did get the courage to tell you, what do you say to me? Oh, right it was, Join the club, kid. We all have problems. Then I find out that you were being paid to keep quiet, and no matter how bad it got the most you did for me was give me ice afterwards. You're a pathetic excuse for a mother, you don't care about anyone, but yourself." Ember finished as she moved closer towards Madeline. Walter was now by Reid, his expression mirroring Reid's.

Madeline just stared at Ember, shell shocked. She just grabbed the bottle and walked away, leaving Ember, Reid, and Walter standing there in the kitchen.

"Well, Ember? What d'you say? Wanna move to Miami?" Walter asked her after a long pause. Ember stared at him, but she moved herself in closer to Reid's side.

"I'll be here for two weeks, you can give me answer by then, okay?" Walter began. "There's no rush. I promise, I'm staying at the Clarion. You can reach me there, alright?" With that he handed Ember a card leaning he gave her a hug, then with a nod to Reid he left. Ember turned to face Reid she looked absolutely exhausted. He sighed softly as he pulled her into him. His chin rested on her head while he felt Ember's arms wrap around him tightly, as if he were her life preserver. Reid muttered something about grabbing her stuff and leaving she agreed as they pulled away and headed up to her room.

Reid sighed as he walked down the hall as quietly as possible, leaving Ember in his room to sleep off her stress. He couldn't believe her life, it was one thing after another. He was sure there'd be a trial, but he didn't know when. He felt the knots between his shoulder blades tighten at the thought of a trial. He wasn't sure how he felt about his involvement, Ember needed him, but would he be able to last this ordeal. Reaching the kitchen he opened the fridge and scanned the shelves to find whatever he could. Settling for a sandwich he pulled out the ingredients. His mind was racing with all the different outcomes for Ember, his mind settled on the most damaging one. Ember going back to Julian. Subconsciously Reid's grip on the knife tightened, and he had to put it down on the counter. He put his head in his hands and sighed letting his muscles relax for the first time in a while.

Suddenly arms wrapped around his waist pulling him back into someone. He jumped turning to face Ember, her bright blue eyes blinked up at him, she smirked at him. "Hey." She greeted as she slid under his arm and cuddled into his side. Reid smirked and slid his arm around her holding her against him.

"Hey." He responded as he tried to fix his sandwich with the other hand.

"Hungry?" Ember asked him as she moved so that she stood in front of him between him and the counter. He smirked at her catching the double meaning. "Always." He grinned at her. She felt his arms encircle her waist while her arms went around his neck pulling him towards her. He brushed his lips over hers lightly and pulled back even though she tried to prevent him from doing so. He smirked at her as he used one of his arms to push the ingredients backwards off the counter, his dad wasn't home, and his house keeper wasn't in so it didn't matter how much noise they made.

He heard Ember gasp by his ear and lost whatever thought of what he wanted to do to her. His hands were at Ember's hips, he pulled them towards his body tightly. She groaned at that, but a noise broke them apart. There was a shattering sound. Turning around Reid saw it was Julian he'd smashed into the glass cabinet that had been built into the wall, "What the he-?" Reid began angrily as he started towards Julian, however he didn't get too far. A shot rang out and Reid froze out of instinct. "Reid!" Ember yelled from behind him. He looked to see she had tears in her eyes then he glanced down to his stomach and saw his shirt was soaking up blood. What? Was I just shot? Reid's eyes scanned throughout the kitchen until his knees gave out and he landed on his back. Ember was hovering over him instantly on the floor next to him. "Oh, god. Reid…" She breathed.

Opening his mouth to talk Reid found that he couldn't. "Shhh… Don't. Just don't talk." Ember said as she started to reach for the phone, no doubt dialing 9-1-1. However, Julian came up behind her and shoved the barrel of his gun to the back of her head. Julian was once again staggering where he stood.

"No!" Reid yelled suddenly getting a spark of pure energy. The trigger was pulled and the last shot rang throughout the kitchen. Ember fell on top of Reid's chest her blood soaking him as well. "No…" Reid muttered. His hands going to her head as he willed himself to heal sitting up he pulled her into his lap. Her head up, her closed eyes were facing him. "No, no, no, no, please…. Ember." He called to her trying to will her back to life even though he knew it was useless. No one could bring someone back to life. It just wasn't possible, it didn't matter how strong someone was; it just wasn't possible. Reid looked up to see Julian staggering there, "You better shoot yourself now, otherwise. I'm going to kill you in a long, slow way that makes torture seem merciful." Reid growled at Julian. Julian just blinked at Reid as though Reid had just spoken Jordanian. Reid's anger boiled over and he let his eyes flash forcing Julian to pick up a steak knife from the wooden block. Reid's head tilted towards the right and Julian was forced to slice his right arm down from the crook of his elbow to his wrist. Then once Reid tilted his head to the left Julian repeated the action to his left arm. Then he dropped the knife, but Reid wasn't finished with him. He made a glass shard from the now broken cabinet fly across the kitchen and jamb itself into Julian's leg. Julian yelled out as he fell to the floor. Reid wasn't done, not by a long shot- at least in his mind, anyway. However, Tyler's voice called out for Reid as he and Pogue came into the kitchen, upon seeing everything they flipped. The rest was a blur to Reid, and he refused to release Ember from his arms as people wearing official looking uniform moved in and out of the room. They took Julian away, but he didn't care his eyes remained focused on the girl in his arms. The dead girl in his arms. Reid broke down at that thought, and the realization hit him then, he loved her. He really, truly loved Ember, but it was too late…