Alexa POV

The car creaked and groaned along the old path, making its way towards the large house up ahead where I had marked a large X on the map. Each time we went over a bump I felt something sharp digging into my butt and I assumed I was sitting on broken glass from the windows, it hurt but it didn't seem to bother me, we were almost there. Even though it had only been a week or so since the attack on Gallagher Academy if felt like a round about 2 years since we set off and I was relieved for it to finally be over soon.

Looking at my hands I saw they were visibly shaking from the rush I had gotten standing out of the door, taking those shots at the car behind. I was also shaking with fatigue and stress I guessed. Seth took my hands in his warm ones to stop them shaking, his eyes silently telling me that we were safe now and it was all going to be okay, I wished I believed him but there was still doubt gnawing at my gut, telling me the story wasn't quite over yet. It was too early to relax yet.

Cammie was still in front, staring straight ahead with her hands gripping the wheel tightly. There were cuts on her arm from where the car windows shattered and our new clothes were already torn up in places.

A tear rolled down her face and a smile crept on her lips as we drove through a clearing and onto a gravel driveway that came up to the house. Dad and Ms. Morgan were outside, guns cocked in case we weren't us, but as soon as they saw us their guns fell. Cammie stopped the car and got out, the door almost falling off the car as she did. I climbed out my side too, removing my hands from Seth's and walking towards dad.

However I didn't exactly get the welcome I was expecting, instead of hugging my dad me and Cammie were both enveloped in a suffocating hug by Ms. Morgan. The air was knocked out of my lungs and I was so surprised and taken aback by what was going on. "Rachel." Dad said softly.

When Ms. Morgan realised she was out of place she quickly let me go with a small smile to hug her daughter instead. Seth and Zach were already approaching at this point and I hugged my dad.

Bex got out last, gripping her wound, he face contorting in pain. He parents ran out of the house in time to grab her, their faces a mixture of confusion and anger. Zach took Cammie's hand as we all went inside together.


The next few hours went by in a blur, a series of girls I had never seen before along with Liz and Macey swarmed Cammie as Bex was rushed into the back by a couple of medical professionals who had studied at the Academy. I stood awkwardly to one side; stitched, shower and clothes. Seth and Zach were with Grant and Jonas discussing some kind of private Fortis thing. Occasionally one of them would glance over at me as they spoke to one another and it made me fidgety.

Dad was no where to be seen so for now I focused on the assortment of stitched and bandages I had covering my arms. I also had a few on my legs which made sitting and walking a little difficult, I had never known pain till I had taken a shower an hour previously.

Finally dad reappeared and I went to him to talk. We had to talk, not later like he had said earlier, not tomorrow. But now.

"Dad." I tried to get his attention.

"No now, I'm sorry, I'm really busy." He said, turning to walk away from me to Cammie and I may have kind of snapped.

"You're busy? Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise. My mistake. I guess I just figured that you maybe had some time to talk to your daughter whom you abandoned years ago without any explanation what so ever. Who you also, haven't even spoken to properly since then may I add. I guess that maybe, just maybe, I thought you had some time in your extremely busy schedule to talk to make sure your only child was okay and to see how she was doing after all that's happened. Because, you don't know what's happened! You haven't asked me anything, besides if I was okay! Then you disappear for hours in this big house and I haven't seen you since! Do you even care at all?! No I guess not, my bad for thinking you might want to talk to me. Guess Cammie's higher on your priority list." Red faced and angry as hell I stormed away upstairs, only to be followed by not only my dad but Seth too.

I carefully walked into a room and closed the door to, not bothering to turn the lights on to try and hide. Seth caught up with dad just outside the door, I held my breath.

"Leave her alone." Seth said, fixing him with a steel gaze.

"I know what she's been through, I just want to help." Dad said, I rolled my eyes. "But I can't talk to her right now."

"Then when can you? Alexa has some kind of Circle of Cavan list in her head that they want to torture out of her and all she wants is to spend time with her dad. You're lucky she's forgiven you for leaving her, if I saw mine dad again I'd probably smash his nose for good measure." I smiled softly at Seth's words.

"I know, I know about the list and that's why I can't talk to her yet." He admitted.

"So you know? Great. Do you also know about Collins? He gassed her and Cammie, kidnapped them and threw them in the back of an ambulance tied up." Seth explained.

"Collins was a former Blackthorne teacher, before your time, he taught science mostly, about what chemicals can do what to a person. Till he went off the deep end that is and killed his wife and daughter, both Gallagher Girls." Dad told him reluctantly. "When I found out why they Circle was after Alexa and that they were tracking her through me I left because I thought I was keeping her safe. She's my daughter, I raised her, and believe it or not I really do care."

Seth shrugged, his eyes falling on my peeking out of her door but he said nothing. I nodded thanks to him. Just then a bell sounded about the massive house, echoing from the walls. Seth almost looked panicked. "Don't worry, it's just a calling bell. We all need to go down to the main hall." Once he had walked away from Seth I left the room to follow.

"You okay?" He asked, putting a hand on the top of my arm lightly. I bit my lip, his eyes were so full of concern for me that I could help but kiss him again. It didn't last long, he was too surprised really to go anything but stay still. Once I broke it off the bell sounded again and I walked away to the stairs, Seth stared after me, a smile playing on his lips.