Here's the next chapter, finally after struggling with the first part so badly.

Officer Carwood opened her cell and led her in a different direction than the office she had made her phone calls home in.

"Where are we going?"

"To get your possessions. We're releasing you today. You're not being fined and you'll be free to leave town, as everything has been figured out."

"Really?"

She didn't know what to think. In a way it felt fitting that it would be Officer Carwood to release her. He had kind of started this all.

But it hadn't quite even been a week and they were releasing her. It just didn't make sense.

Maybe it could be explained because the Piston's had deep pockets?

"I have no reason to lie to you Miss Hudson. You are free to go once we get you your belongings back. It was perceived self-defence and Erik didn't want any charges put against you. In his words, 'she's been through enough already.' He's never explained further than that, but it's enough."

She watched him go and get her things from where they were being held. He placed them on a counter for her to pick up, showing that everything that she had on her was there.

She couldn't help but stare at the gun.

Laying there, innocently on the counter.

As if it wasn't a weapon used to injure someone.

"We towed your car into town so that it wasn't left on the side of the road. Erik made sure you had a brand new set of tires put on. So if you wanted to, you could leave right away, but I would at least suggest stopping at Flo's and getting something to eat first."

She nodded, gathering her few things off the counter. Giving the gun as wide of berth as possible.

Not wanting to touch it.

No longer wanting to look at it, as it made her head pound.

"Don't forget your gun."

"I- keep it. I don't want anything to do with it anymore."

"If you're sure Miss Hudson..."

"I am. ... I don't ever want to shoot someone again."

"Alright..." He took the gun and put it back where he took it from. Locking it away.

When he came back out he offered to take her to her car and point her in the direction of Flo's.

"I can't take you directly to Flo's as I have paperwork I have to do before lunch, but I will probably see you there, before you leave."

He lead her out of the building and to her car, giving her directions to Flo's Cafe, where all her meals had come from during her stay.

She drove the short distance to the cafe. Turning off her car, she sat in dread. Her head was still pounding.

How many people knew about her shooting Erik?

Would they start to talk or look at her in contempt when she entered?

They couldn't know what she looked like, could they?

She wasn't even that hungry, but she didn't know where or when she'd be getting her next meal.

She wasn't sure she could face a crowd, let alone Erik if he was in there.

If she went in, she could probably keep her head down and eat quickly, hopefully getting out of there without much fuss.

She was just going to have to get it over with.

She was a little surprised when she entered and the only reaction she got was an acknowledgement from Flo.

"I'll be there to in a moment sugar, find a spot to sit and make yourself comfortable."

She sat in the corner that was out of the way from most people.

"Now, what would you like honey? Something you've had before or something different?"

Flo had surprised her again. She still was treating her no different than anyone else.

As if it didn't matter that she shot Erik and was getting away with it. Eventually she decided on one of the meals Flo had brought her before and quietly thanked her when it was brought out.

The meal smelled good, but with how her head was pounding still, she only picked at it, not feeling like eating.

She slunk down in her seat when she noticed Erik coming in with Officer Carwood.

She really hoped that they didn't come over her direction. She was ready to go if she had to face Erik again.

Why did he always have to be there in some of the worst moments in her life. As soon as she caught Flo's attention, she got her to bring her a to go container for the rest of her food.

"Sure thing sugar."

She paid and tried rushing out the door as she saw Erik getting up from where he was. Only for her to have to stop as a wave of pain came over her.

She felt herself lose the colour in her cheeks as she swayed in place.

The next thing she knew Flo, Officer Carwood, and Erik were by her side.

"Let's sit you back down honey. Are you alright?"

She shook her head as she was guided back to a booth seat.

"No. I need my pain medications."

"Do you want me to get you some Tylenol for the time being."

She shook her head.

"It won't be enough." Her eyes were starting to water. She closed her eyes to try and help her breathing remain steady.

"Where are they sugar?"

"Glove box in my car."

"I'll go get them." Erik offered, quickly leaving to grab them.

He passed them to Michael when he brought them in, whom let out a low whistle upon seeing what they were.

"You won't be driving anywhere, while on these."

"I know."

She swallowed the pills that she needed.

"How quick do they work?"

"Not fast enough for me..."

"Let's get her to a cone before these kick in for her."

The three of them shuffled her out the cafe, bypassing the office for the cones while Michael ran in and grabbed a key with the promise of filling out paperwork afterwards. Getting her settled onto a bed in the one cone.

"What do you need such heavy medications for?"

"Was in a bad wreck 'bout a year ago... nearly died..."

"Just how is it that you know each other then?"

Erik answered. "It's, a bit- ah... a bit complicated..."

She just glared daggers at him with her arms crossed.

He let out a sigh. "You've heard of Jesse Hudson..."

Flo and Michael turned towards Erik.

"The Piston racer?"

"Yeah..." he said in a heavy sigh. "He doesn't exist... never did..."

"What d'you mean?"

"Clearly he did exist. How else would he have won so much."

"Jesse Hudson was a charade. The talent was real, the wreck was real, but the person behind Jesse wasn't a man, but a woman-" he gestured to her, "named Jessica... Something that wasn't learned until after the wreck..."

"Oh."

"Well that certainly explains a lot."

oOo

He was sitting in a booth at Flo's with paperwork strewn across the table. A basket of fresh French fries was by his left elbow and a soda was near the edge of the table on his right.

Most people left him alone when they saw he was working, but there were exceptions.

When he was tapped on his head, he held back a scowl by pursing his lips as his brother slid into the seat across from him, stealing a fry from him.

"What are you doing here Alex."

His brother reached over to pinch his cheek roughly.

"I heard that 'ittle baby Emery got himself in trouble and Nanna had to come and kiss it better." Alex said in a sarcastic baby voice.

"Right." He drawled out, rolling his eyes. "It's slightly more complicated than that. I didn't ask Nanna to come."

"What?" Alex dropped the voice. "Does dad not know that you got yourself shot?"

"We've discussed it." He let out tersely.

Alex eyed him with his eyebrows raised.

"You've discussed it? You get shot by the side of the road by a woman, and I'm the one who's constantly criticized? How is that fair?"

"Life isn't fair Alexander." He rolled his eyes again. "My getting shot has nothing to do with the criticism that you get. I got shot for trying to help her. You get criticized because you can't keep track of your money or keep your eyes only on your wife."

Alex leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms.

"Well done Emery. She obviously wasn't interested in your help."

"How did you even hear about this anyway?"

"I heard grandmother speaking of it." Alex shrugged his shoulders, digging into his fries again, dipping them into the ketchup he had on the side.

He crossed his arms and leaned forward.

"Did she happen to mention it was just a graze? Or did you overhear our phone conversation? It doesn't need to be made into such a big problem as it has been. I'm fine."

"Be-cau-se" Alex drawled out the word, pointing a fry at him. "You were still shot, as in with a bullet, from a gun. You're the only one trying to pass it off as nothing. Were there, or were there not stitches involved?"

"It'll heal." He said dryly.

"Has whoever shot you at least been charged?" Alex asked as he waved a couple of fries around before eating them.

"No and there will be no charges made. An investigation was done, the young lady left the gun and is well on her way. It's not that exciting and the world doesn't need to know that I had been shot." Alex gave him a weird almost wary look.

He didn't need to know that Jessica was currently recovering in a Cone from a flare up of her injuries, leaving her in town longer than she wanted to be.

"You do realize that none of this makes sense, right? You almost sound like you're defending this woman who shot you."

"It makes sense to those of us involved, that's all that matters. Besides, it was my own fault."

"I don't think I've ever seen you so cagey about something." Alex pointed a fry at him again before popping it into his mouth.

"Maybe- that's because I don't want to talk about it. Or, I don't know, it getting out that I was shot by a woman. It's an embarrassment in the making if the papers were to get a hold of it." He paused a moment before smirking at a thought.

"Almost worse than being out raced by a woman. How is Miss Nash racing this season?"

Alex slid out of his seat, stuffed a last few fries in his mouth, and stood at the end of the table.

"If you stuck around the track instead of hiding out here in Arizona you might know. Might not've gotten shot at all."

"I'll remember that for next time, but I just might have to root for Miss Nash; the next race I am at. Pay for my fries as you leave, since you ate them all on me."

"Pff, not likely." His brother turned and quickly left the building.

He sagged a little once his brother was gone. He caught Flo's attention next time she went by to get new fries, as the few that Alex did leave behind were cold.