Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Cliffhangers, and I don't know who owns them. I do own Chelsea Barringer and Brad Javenson. ***************************************************************************************************************************
Okay........well......this is the chapter. Some big stuff is gonna go down, and ure gonna want to read the whole thing, however, it is gonna be kinda violent, so bare that in mind. I won't be too detailed, just the basics so you know what I'm talking about.........Enjoy........(but it ain't pretty).................................Okay...I also had a dedication request.....lol......so....look underneath the chapter name.........
In Your Darkest Hour
Ch. 10
Dedicated to Kayla
Everyone fell asleep eventually that night. Scott had a hard time sleeping because he was too busy worrying about the night to come, so he got up and went into the kitchen. Shelby was sitting at the table, and looked like she was in her own little world.
"Hey....what are you still doing up?" he asked sitting down at the table across from her.
"I can't sleep." She stated simply.
"You're not the only one....." he said. She got a look of worry on her face that somehow her coming had caused him to lose sleep. He quickly saved himself. "Yeah, you know, David snores like there's no tomorrow!"
She let her eyes drop to the table and gave Scott a slight chuckle. "So what have you been up to for the past couple weeks? I mean, has Chelsea given you a hard time?"
"No, she's an angel, but...uh...I think she's been missing you." He said.
"Well, that's a no brainer. I'm all she's known since before she was born. Brad never gave a damn about her one way or the other. Half the time he wasn't home, and when he was home he was too busy yelling or drinking to pay any attention to her."
"I'm sorry." Was all Scott could think of to say.
"Don't be." She responded quickly. "You're the only one that ever even tried to get me out of there. And the first few times, I was too much of a shovelhead to notice. But what you said.....about kids being more likely to get abused in a house with domestic violence....that really hit home. I always promised myself I would never be like my mom. She knew Walt was doing stuff to me and she chose to ignore it and hope it would go away. She knew it wouldn't and so did I. I'm not going to be like that, I'm not going to put Chelsea in that position. That's why I had to get her out of there, and that's why I had to leave too. I promised myself a long time ago that the cycle of hurt that started way back in my family would end with me. And I'm gonna do everything in my power to make sure that I don't break that promise."
"Shelby, I admire you for this. I just wanted you to know that." He said looking at her adoringly
"Thanks." She said with a small smile.
"Look, it's late. Can we try to get some sleep? Tomorrow morning we'll go get what you need. First thing." He said moving towards the living room.
"NO!" she almost yelled. He stopped and turned and looked at her wide eyed. "I mean....uh...no. He's off tomorrow....he'll be there all day. We should wait till the night....he'll be out clubbing. We can go in, go out, and head back here in a half an hour tops."
"Ok.....are you sure going at night is such a good idea....I mean....people are gonna think we're prowlers."
"Hello? We're sneaking in at night. We are prowlers."
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Scott, Shelby, and Auggie decided they needed to have as little in the car as possible. That meant losing one of the people. There was no question that Shelby was going. She was the only one with a key. It was down to Scott and Auggie. Auggie knew hands down that Shelby wasn't going anywhere without Scott, so he gave up his position in the car so that Scott could go.
The next morning, after breakfast, Auggie pulled Scott into another room away from the rest of the Cliffhangers.
"What are you doing Auggie?" he asked
"Look, Meat, I was counting on going, but since I'm not, I want to give you something to take with you.....ya know...for protection...." he said and unveiled a small gun.
"Where did you get that, Ciceros?!" he sad loudly.
"Yo, shut up! Do you want it or not?"
"Yeah....." he said taking it from him. "So, where'd you get it?"
"I was in a gang, man. That's your only protection on the streets. I just never got rid of it. Look, I only want you to use it if it's absolutely necessary. It kills, Meat. I know firsthand, so don't fool around with it....got it?"
"Yeah. Got it." He said shoving the loaded gun is his vest pocket.
"Ok." Auggie said and gave him a slap on the back.
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Scott, Shelby, and Auggie decided they needed to have as little in the car as possible. That meant losing one of the people. There was no question that Shelby was going. She was the only one with a key. It was down to Scott and Auggie. Auggie knew hands down that Shelby wasn't going anywhere without Scott, so he gave up his position in the car so that Scott could go.
They left the apartment around 6 P.M. to make sure they got to Springfield Gardens at midnight. Shelby was sure Brad would be gone by then, and her guess was confirmed when they pulled into the driveway and saw that all the lights were off. They got out of the car slowly and quietly and Shelby used her key to get them into the small house. She entered the house, finding trash and dirty clothes strewn all over the living room. She softly called out,
"Brad? It's me....I'm home..." there was no answer. He was gone. "Okay!" she said grabbing Scott and pulling him in. "I'll go upstairs and get some of my stuff, you go into the nursery and throw some of Chelsea's clothes and toys and all that into this bag." She ordered and tossed a bag at him. She ran off and he did the same.
After he had finished he went upstairs to find her still packing. He stood behind her. She didn't know he was there. "Ok, done." She said to herself and zipped up her bag.
She turned around and ran right into Scott. She let out a small scream and then grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and put a hand to her chest realizing it was only him. "Scott! You scared the hell out of me! What were you doing?!"
"Sorry. You didn't have the hiccups did you?" he asked
"No."
"Then I don't know what I was doing." He said and gave her a smile. She chuckled nervously. She let go of his sleeve and smoothed her hair. "Let me get this." He said trying to reach around her to the bag that was sitting on the bed, but she tried to move out of his way. As he was pulling his arm back, she was moving in the same direction and she was knocked into him. They were closer than they had been in almost a year. He looked down at her and their eyes locked. He kissed her, and she actually returned this one. He let go of the bag and put his arm around her waist as the kisses got more heated. Without breaking the kiss she sat down on the bed and pulled him down with her. They were just about to lay down when the sound of a car door slamming alerted Shelby. She pulled away and scrambled to the window.
"Brad's home!" she said
"Ok...you grab this bag." He said getting Chelsea's bag from the bed and tossing it to her. "And I'll take this one. We'll go out the back door."
"It's too late!"
"Why?!" he said picking up her bag.
"Because he had to of seen your car in the front. He knows we're here....."
"Well, if we o out the back door now by the time he gets in, we'll be out and in the car!"
"Okay." She said skeptically. "Hurry, Scott, let's go."
They ran down the stairs and headed to the back door. Scott pulled it open, only to reveal Brad standing there. He had been one step ahead of them the whole time. It took Scott a minute, but he turned to Shelby and said "Go! Go get in the car, Shelby, lock the door!" and he threw Chelsea's bag at her. If somebody was leaving that night, it would be Shelby. Brad pushed by Scott, not too worried about him, but more worried about catching Shelby.
"You leave her alone!" Scott growled at him. He stopped and turned around and looked at him.
"What are you gonna do if I don't?" he snarled back and tried to keep going. Scott, his football player instincts kicking in, tackled him. Shelby still hadn't left the house, but was hiding right outside the kitchen watching. She was scared to come out. She could faintly see in the dark Scott and Brad struggling, but she couldn't tell who was who. Things were crashing as the wrestled on the floor and dished came out of the top cabinets when someone was slammed into the counter.
As Scott was getting badly beaten on the floor, he remembered the gun he had. He pulled it out and somehow got out from under Brad and stood up. Brad did the same, and didn't look at all like he was going to let Scott of the hook.
Shelby couldn't see anything it was so dark. She could only see the two shadows struggling and could clearly hear the sounds being made in the night. She saw someone being shoved into the refrigerator, and to her horror, she watched it fall and pin someone down. At that same instant, she heard a gunshot ring out, but who was hurt?
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ok....so....sorry to leave you right there.
NEXT: Who is pinned under the fridge? Who had the gun when it went off...and who did the bullet hit? I want 10 reviews! You can have the next chapter...mmmm...tomorrow...if I have 10 when I get home from school tomorrow at 3!!