Chapter 26
Freddie, Lindsey, Ruby and Joe managed to quickly get themselves into Freddie's car. Freddie kept looking behind him for any signs of Trevor or Grace but non of them were in sight. Before running Freddie turned the gun on Trevor shooting him in the leg the impact knocked him unconscious. Once he was down he tied Grace up in Joe's place and then he ran for his life with the others in toe, he couldn't believe what he'd done but he had no other plan inside of his head.
"We need to get away quickly just in case Trevor rouses" Freddie panicked as he put the key in the ignition switch hoping to make a quick get away. As the car sped off Ruby finally stopped crying.
"It's okay baby" Lindsey soothed as she sat beside her in the back seat, Joe in the passenger seat alongside Freddie. Freddie was very quiet not uttering many words at all, having Joe in the car was bearing to be too much for him.
"What were you doing with them" Freddie asked Joe as he drove back to the village, Lindsey and Ruby were now fast asleep in the back seat as he looked into his rear view mirror he smiled at the adorableness of the two of them.
"I've been living with Grace and Trevor has recently come back on the scene, me and her had a daughter together. Trevor thought Ruby might have been her that's why he came and took her he's jealous of us because he's always wanted to have a child with Grace, our daughter died 7 months ago she was only 3" Joe announced with pain in his eyes, Freddie's heart broke at Joe's words.
"I'm so sorry" Freddie said, not knowing what else to say.
"You're alright mate, just what life has chosen to give me. Have you and Linds just got the one?" Joe enquired.
"Yeah, we've been trying for another but we've just been so busy with having Elsa around now" Freddie proclaimed.
"Mum came back?" Joe asked in a shocked tone.
"Yeah, why are you looking so shocked?" Freddie wondered.
"She and Elsa lived with me and Grace for a while, she upped it and left a few years ago. Hasn't been seen since, not a day went by where I didn't wonder or worry about where they were. How long have they been back?" Joe asked sounding relived.
"She went straight to you! Just a few weeks, Elsa just so happened to go to the same school as Ruby and I met up with mum accidentally when I went to see the head teacher, I was so shocked" Freddie said, still not being able to fathom the conversation in his head.
"Yeah, mum and Fraser left out of the blue one day. We had no clue where or why they decided to go" Joe said shaking his head at the memory.
"Why have you left Grace with Trevor?" Freddie asked, wondering why he was being so calm.
"He's welcome to her" Joe spat.
"Where do you want me to drop you off?" Freddie said changing the subject abruptly.
"Can't I come back with you" Joe wondered, looking slightly unkempt.
"There's no room" Freddie excused, clearing his throat as he said it, he did feel very guilty for turning his own brother down a place to stay but he couldn't risk having him around, plus Lindsey would undergo unnecessary upset and Freddie would never forgive himself for that if that were to happen.
"How do you mean? There's always room at the house what about the spare bedroom" Joe pleaded.
"There isn't a spare room any more, Ruby and Elsa share it, it was Ruby's before Elsa moved in. I'll give you some money and you can get yourself booked into a B&B" Freddie said as he neared a nearby town to the village, he decided he was going to find one randomly.
"Oh right, I'll pay for my own room don't worry. I want to come and see everyone tomorrow, would that be okay with you? Seeing as you're ordering me about" Joe said sounding extremely annoyed.
"I don't think that would be a good idea Joe I'm sorry" Freddie proclaimed.
"Why the hell not? I don't think you have a right to stop me. I'll be coming whether you like it or not" Joe said smugly, he and Freddie had only been reunited for a matter of hours yet they already had something to disagree about.
"Not if I've got anything to do with it, everyone's happy without you plus they've got a grudge against you for leaving so I ain't having you upsetting everyone" Freddie said. He didn't want to be this horrible to Joe but he didn't have any other ideas.
"So they weren't upset with mum when she returned then? Tell me that!" Joe retorted, raising his voice, Lindsey woke up suddenly due to the sudden noise.
"Hey what's the shouting about?" Lindsey asked, yawning in the process.
"Ah nothing babe, Joe was just saying how he's going to be stopping the night at a B&B weren't you mate" Freddie lied, he gave Joe a glare.
"Yeah Linds don't worry everything's fine" Joe said, smiling at Lindsey in the rear view mirror. Freddie noticed how Joe looked at her, it became clear to him that he still had feelings for her.
"Oh right, you can come and visit the house tomorrow, it'll be nice for Sand" Lindsey smiled, Freddie's face dropped as those words left her lips.
"Yeah that will be great, It would be nice to see everyone again. You'll be happy about it too wont you Fred" Joe said smirking at Freddie as he spoke.
"Yeah it'll be good" Freddie added, seething inside at the thought.
Freddie continued to drive around the town, looking for suitable B&B's. He wanted to get him into one as far away from Hollyoaks as humanly possible, After 30 minuets of searching Freddie finally stopped the car. He opened Joe's door and told him he would see him soon, that he hoped wouldn't be the case. Lindsey looked slightly upset when Joe left the car, Freddie hated this.
"What's wrong" Freddie asked as Lindsey looked as if she was going to cry.
"How could you let him go to a B&B? When he could have slept on the couch" Lindsey said.
"It wouldn't be good for anyone, plus I need explain to mum before he comes home" Freddie announced, Lindsey saw red immediately.
"I don't understand this Freddie! He's your brother he'll always be welcome and you know that" Lindsey spat, Freddie took deep breaths as anger erupted inside of him.
"Why do you care so much hey? Want him back" Freddie spat, tears fell from Lindsey's eyes. She shook her head and left the car.
"Linds where are you going?" Freddie said sounding worried, instantly regretting shouting at her.
"Away from you! If Ruby wakes up and wonders where I am you tell her I'm at work" Lindsey said as she walked away. He started the car and decided to follow her, when he was close enough to speak to her he wound down the window ready to speak to her.
"Leave me alone Freddie!" she shouted as she sped up.
She ran down a backstreet where Freddie couldn't go in the car, he contemplated getting out but he couldn't because of Ruby being in the back seat, he was just relived that she was sleeping through all of this she'd seen enough traumatic things that night. He drove to what he thought was the ending of the backstreet, but Lindsey was nowhere in sight. He didn't know what on earth to do next, she was nowhere to be seen and he couldn't leave Ruby. He and Lindsey hadn't ever argued like this before, of course they argued playfully but it never lead to her walking away from the situation, he would usually give in and hug her if they ever did disagree. That was all he wanted to do just hug her and tell her that he was sorry. He tried phoning her but he could hear it vibrating in the back seat, sighing with frustration he decided to drive around for a little while just to see if he could find her.
"Daddy where's mummy?" Ruby asked she woke up.
"She's gone to the shop sweetie, why don't you go back to sleep. She'll be here when you wake up" Freddie soothed softly. She soon went back to sleep.
Just as he was about to give up and go home he came across a loan female sat on a bench around about 3 miles away from where Freddie lost sight of Lindsey, he drove past the bench and saw Lindsey crying her eyes out. He got out and locked the car and made his way over to Lindsey.
"Look I'm so sorry Linds I really didn't mean for this to happen, it was just hard seeing Joe after so long" Freddie announced, sitting down beside her.
"I'm not ready to see him again, seeing him today really did hit home how much I missed him, all those memories came back to me. No matter how hard I try to shut them out it just doesn't happen. I'm so sorry Freddie" Lindsey sobbed, feeling awful at having mixed emotions.
"Hey hey, it's not your fault Linds I knew this was going to be hard for you that's why I asked him to go to a B&B" Freddie soothed, hugging Lindsey tightly. She placed her head on his shoulder.
"If he comes to the house, I don't want to be around. Just because I don't want to see him doesn't mean the others shouldn't" Lindsey announced, wiping tears from her cheeks.
"If that's what you want then okay, why don't we go home hey? It has been a really long day" Freddie said with a smile, kissing her head.
"I'm sorry for storming off like I did" Lindsey said sounding slightly happier.
"No problem but please don't do it again" Freddie sighed giving her a even tighter hug, not wanting to let her go.
Freddie and Lindsey made their way back to the car, Freddie rummaged around for his keys but he couldn't find them.
"Have you seen the key Linds? I can't find them anywhere" Freddie asked as he again checked all of his pockets.
"Uh no I haven't, are you sure they're not in any of your pockets" Lindsey said, checking her bag just in case.
"They're in the bloody car aren't they. Have you got anything to break the window with?" Freddie asked, Ruby was still sound asleep in the car. It was a coolish night and the temperature of the wasn't the warmest she didn't have a blanket around her, Freddie hoped he could get her out quickly.
"No I haven't, oh god what are we going to do" Lindsey panicked as she looked at Ruby.
"I'll think of something don't worry" Freddie said, trying to rack his brain for any idea's. Both of their phones were also in the car.
As the hours went on both Freddie and Lindsey had to think of a way to get their little girl out of the car safely. The car was parked on double yellow lines on what looked a very very busy road, due to it being very late at night there was not a car in sight but they both knew in the morning and throughout the day it would be extremely busy, they needed to act quickly.