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Trigger warning activated for this chapter.
Luke's bad mood followed him for a few days. He knew he owed Emily an explanation, and he felt bad for making her feel as though it was her fault. He had stayed put when she left for lunch the last few days, and that alarmed her even more. She only asked him about it once, though, and took his explanation quietly and left him alone.
The thing was, he didn't want anyone figuring it out about their relationship. He didn't want the comments and the jokes. He wanted to keep what he had to himself, and maybe that made him selfish. He also was reflecting on his life and everything that happened to him and was feeling that Emily deserved better than him. He also started thinking about what life would be like when Mei left, thanks to Emily bringing that up. It made him feel somber and dark. Mei noticed his mood and kept prodding at him to see if he was okay, like she was doing right now.
"I know you're not okay," she said.
"I don't want to talk about it," he insisted.
"Are you guys broken up already?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yes, Mei. I'm sure."
"Then why are you ignoring her like she's a puppy hounding for attention?" Mei asked. Luke sighed, exasperated.
"I'm not ignoring her. I'm busy."
"Nathan said she's crying at night."
"You and Nathan need to mind your own business," he said curtly. But he felt the stab to his heart. He hadn't meant to make her upset.
"Seriously, Luke, don't screw this up," Mei warned, going off to attend to someone. Luke knew she was right. He wasn't even sure why he was screwing this up. He was overthinking things. He resolved to go talk to her when he got a chance. She wasn't working that day, so he could make a breakaway and not get noticed.
...
Emily was late. She could barely focus all day thinking about it. She and Luke were always careful since they started being intimate weeks ago, so how could this be? She had gone down the road to the convenience store to get the answer earlier that afternoon, and she was now sitting in her bathroom on the floor waiting, knees pulled to her chest. She was having a very deja vu moment. The last time this had happened, nothing good came out of it. As she waited, she thought of Luke's reaction. Would he be angry? Would he ask her to not go through with it? Would he leave her? He was already acting strange around her, so that was not reassuring.
All of these questions were too painful to answer. After the allotted time, she looked at the test, and she felt a mixture of thrill and dread.
It was positive. She was pregnant.
...
Luke knocked on her door, feeling that he shouldn't have the right to just walk in after his behavior towards her lately. When she answered, he could tell she had been crying.
"I'm sorry," he blurted. He didn't want to lose her. This was suddenly very clear to him.
"It's okay," she shrugged.
"No, it's not. I shut you out, and you didn't deserve that."
"It happens."
"Okay, but I'm trying to talk it out here," he said, unsure of what was going on with her.
"Maybe I don't want to right now," she countered. She knew she was being stupid, but she was tired of being the last to know about everything. She was tired of being ignored until it was good for the other person to come around again. When would something be on her terms?
Luke knew he deserved that, but it still hurt. He ground his teeth a little, his way of dealing with stress.
"Okay," he said. "I'll see you later."
"Fine."
He turned, and she shut the door behind him. He felt a flicker of anger towards himself. What was happening here? Had he screwed it up?
It seemed as though he had.
...
Emily avoided Luke as best as she could the next few days. She was trying to get her wits about her. She had no idea what to do. He didn't try to push, and she didn't offer him anything.
"Trouble in paradise?" Gil asked, looking at her over their chess game.
"Excuse me?" she countered.
"Oh, darling. You can't fool an old man who has had more life experience than you. Did Luke hurt you? I've still got some power in my punch. I can hurt him back for you," Gil said, his eye twinkling slightly.
"There's nothing going on with Luke," she tried. He scoffed.
"I'm old, but I'm not dumb. Do you know how many times he has looked over that door at you since we started playing?" Gil asked. Emily turned to look, but Luke was not there.
"It would seem that we got into a bit of a tiff," she sighed, giving in. There was no sense in arguing with a man who was that smart.
"Tiffs can be sorted out," Gil told her.
"I know."
"But you're scared," Gil noted, looking at her with a squint now. "Of what, I wonder?"
"I haven't had the best luck in relationships," she offered.
"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you'll be unlucky in every relationship."
Emily was saved by Lucy coming in late from lunch. She was starting to feel more and more concern for Lucy as time went on. Today, she had appeared in pain just by doing simple tasks. Now, she was wearing long sleeves, which she hadn't this morning, and something about that set her off. It was a million degrees outside, after all.
"Excuse me," Emily said to Gil.
"I'll just pack up, shall I?" Gil gestured.
"I'm sorry..."
"It's all right. I'm not feeling the best today anyway."
"Oh, Gil..." Emily started, but he waved her off.
"I'm fine. Go see if Lucy is all right."
Emily gave Gil one last glance before going after Lucy to the back.
"Hey," Emily said. "What's wrong?"
"I'm fine," Lucy replied quickly.
"Lucy," Emily said, approaching her and grabbing her arm. "Stop." She didn't know where Luke was. Tito had left early that day.
"I told you, I'm fine," Lucy insisted, yanking her arm back. Emily didn't believe it for a second. She recognized the signs. The long sleeves, the way she was walking, the way she winced every time she reached for something...all of it. She didn't even hesitate as she reached to give Lucy a small shove in her rib cage.
"AHHHHH!" Lucy practically screamed. Luke was there in an instant, having just come out of the fridge.
"What the hell?" he asked, looking at them both.
Emily responded by yanking up Lucy's shirt, and she almost vomited. There were so many bruises, bruises that were so, so familiar to Emily.
"What the hell is that?" Luke asked.
"I fell," Lucy answered quickly.
"No," Emily shook her head. "No, you didn't."
"I did!"
"NO YOU DIDN'T!" Emily shrieked, making Lucy jump.
"Hey," Luke said, putting his hand on Emily's shoulder. "It's all right."
"It's not all right," she argued. "Lucy, did Brent do this to you?"
"Brent?" Lucy asked, surprised. "I'm not dating Brent."
"Who are you dating?" Emily asked, feeling panicked. The placement of the bruises was too familiar to her. It couldn't be, though.
"Tanner," Lucy answered. "He didn't do this..."
"Lucy," Emily cut her off. "Don't lie to me, please. I know what domestic violence looks like, okay? I lived it for six years. I denied it too, and I didn't get help and I didn't tell anyone. I did eventually leave, but I almost died before I did. You can't live like this. It's wrong."
Lucy's eyes welled up with tears as she shook her head and put a hand to her mouth.
"Lucy," Emily said softly. "I can help you. We can help you." She looked at Luke, who nodded. "You are not in this alone. At all."
"He said he'd kill me," Lucy whispered. "If I told anyone."
"That's his way of keeping control over you," Emily told her. "We will keep you safe. We have to report this."
"He'll kill me," Lucy whimpered. "He will. He killed my cat to prove he would."
"Where is he?" Luke asked, furious.
"It's best if you don't do that," Emily told him, putting a hand on his chest to stop him from leaving.
"I'll kill him first," Luke promised. "Before he touches Lucy again."
"I'm scared," Lucy said to Emily. "I'm really scared."
"It's terrifying in the beginning, but then you find yourself in a new life with new friends and someone who actually cares about you, and you realize that you can be okay can heal and move forward," Emily explained, giving Luke a look briefly. "Trust me. I know."
"Will you go with me?" Lucy asked. "To the police?"
"I'll go," Luke answered, knowing Emily was afraid of being found.
"But..." Lucy started.
"She will not be safe here anymore if she goes near a police station," Luke explained, and Lucy's eyes widened.
"Why?" she asked.
"I just don't want to risk it," Emily said, not answering the actual question. "But I'm right here when you get back. You can stay with Nathan and I for as long as you need."
"Okay," she nodded finally. "Okay."
"Come on," Luke said, putting his arm around her shoulders and walking her to the door. Emily hugged herself as she watched them go. She knew Lucy had a long road ahead of her, but she would reach the other end eventually. She was glad Gil was gone and hadn't witnessed all of that.
Twenty minutes after they left, Nathan came to cover for Tito. Emily didn't explain where Luke was, but he didn't ask. He just went to the back to work. Ten minutes after that, the diner door opened, and Emily turned to greet the customer before freezing on the spot.
"Hello, luv," Roger said, smiling at her. "Did you miss me?"
...
Luke felt antsy for some reason when they were at the police station. It reminded him too much of when he'd seen Emily all those years ago and tried to help her before she had taken off. He was not going to let Lucy take off, though. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
"I had no idea Emily had been hurt like this too," Lucy said to Luke while they waited.
"She wasn't exactly broadcasting it."
"That explains why she was doing the self-defense lessons with you."
"Yea."
"Was she talking about you? When she said she found someone who cares about her?" Lucy asked.
"She was," he nodded.
"I knew it," Lucy said with a small smile. She nudged him. "Good for you guys."
They were called back before she could ask any more questions. Luke hung back while Lucy explained everything. She had insisted Luke be in the room with her, so they let him. He felt angrier the more he heard of what happened to her.
"Can you give me a description of Tanner?" the female officer, Jane, was asking now.
"He's about six foot three. Dark hair. Blue eyes. There's a scar just under his cheek...like a crescent moon? He also has a slight limp," Lucy described. Luke felt his blood run cold.
He knew exactly who Lucy was talking about.
...
"Long time, Em," Roger said. His hands were in his pockets. That was never a good sign. For a moment, she was at a loss for words. How had he found her?
"Roger," she managed to say finally.
"At least you remember me," he commented.
"I could never forget you," she said. He smiled.
"Glad I made a lasting imprint."
"That wasn't a compliment," she corrected. He stepped closer, and she instinctively stepped back. Her heart was pounding, but she worked hard to not feel terrified. She tried to keep in control of the situation.
"I've been looking for you," he said.
"Well, you found me."
"I did. Wasn't easy, but I did. You can't hide from me forever," he finished.
"Did you think I'd be your personal punching bag forever?" she asked.
"Come now," he tsked. "You only got what you deserved. You know that."
"What I deserved," she repeated. Roger kept coming closer, and she backed right into the counter on the back wall as he came around the counter towards her. She reached behind her for something, anything.
"That was nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you for running away and leaving me high and dry," he said. His voice was very calm, which was also a bad sign.
"Stay away from me," Emily ordered. She finally got a hold of something.
"You're my girl," he chuckled. "I'm allowed to be near you."
"You're wrong," she said loudly. He was standing right in front of her now, and she felt like she was going to have a stroke.
"Aunt?" Nathan said, making her cringe. He picked the wrong moment to come out from the kitchen. Roger turned to see him, and Nathan looked legit terrified. Emily took this chance to swing the empty coffee pot she had grabbed into Roger, shattering it.
"RUN, NATHAN!" she screamed as Roger roared. She managed two feet before he tackled her. She twisted underneath him, trying to get out. She tried to remember all the things Luke had taught her in self-defense. Miraculously, she managed to get out from under him and tried to get up. He grabbed her waist and brought her back down again. She shrieked.
"Let her go!" Nathan yelled, grabbing Roger and hauling him off. Emily felt him release her as Nathan threw Roger back. Unfortunately, Roger turned his attention on him next.
"Leave him alone!" Emily shouted. Roger punched Nathan hard before grabbing his throat, choking him.
"Tough guy, huh? Just like your old man," Roger sneered. He slugged Nathan in the stomach before throwing him against the counter. Nathan hit it hard and skidded across it before sliding off and hitting the floor.
Emily was on Roger's back now, wrapping her elbow tightly around his neck.
"Leave us alone!" she kept shouting. She hit her other elbow into Roger's shoulder blades, making him yelp. He backed into the wall, slamming her against it. Winded, Emily loosened her grip, and he threw her off easily. She hit the floor, knocking even more wind out of her lungs. He was on her instantly, hands wrapping around her throat in that familiar way she knew all too well. She grabbed his hands, trying to relieve the pressure. She tried hitting his pressure points like Luke had shown her, but he was too swift at dodging her.
"STOP!" Nathan bellowed, back on Roger. Emily gasped in air when Roger's hands released her throat as he moved to again deal with Nathan. She started crawling to where Luke had stashed a gun under the counter. It was time to end this. She screamed when Nathan hit the floor, unconscious now.
"What did you do to him?!" she yelled. She moved to grab the gun and got it in her hand, but Roger was already on her, and he took it from her so easily, making the fury build higher inside of her.
"What is this?" he asked, his tone almost mocking. "You gonna shoot me, Em?"
He didn't let her answer as he grabbed her by the hair and hauled her to her feet. He slapped her hard, and she stumbled. He aimed the gun at her now, and she stood there trembling. This was the end. They were both done for now. She really wished Luke was there.
"Where's your boy, huh?" Roger sneered. Emily froze. How did he know about Luke?
"I don't have a boy," she shook her head.
"Don't lie to me," he said menacingly. "I know about the ball playing, ex-cop, former assassin boyfriend of yours. Tell me, where is he? I thought he promised to keep you safe? Or did he decide to do nothing like the first time you went to him for help?"
"How do you know any of that?" she demanded. "What are you talking about?" The first time she'd gone to Luke for help? She didn't understand.
"I have sources who tell me absolutely everything, Em. Don't tell me you forgot that," he replied. "It's how I found you."
"Bull shit," she said. "You have no resources here."
"You're right," he nodded. "But I've been here for just about as long as you have."
"What?" she asked, her voice a whisper now. How was this possible?
"You're easier to track than you think. I took a different tactic this time, though, so as not to scare you off. I listened to all your conversations. The part about you getting control back? Pathetic. You'll never have control of anything ever again. You thought you were safe here? How foolish. How's Gary, huh?"
Emily thought hard. She had not seen or heard from Gary in a long time. All the hairs on her neck and arms stood up.
"What did you do to Gary?" she demanded.
"Nothing he didn't have coming to him. Anyway, you were incredibly boring again for a bit until you started sleeping with your boss. That one surprised me. After all, I never thought you'd cheat on me once let alone twice."
"You and I are not together!" she yelled at him. "It's over! I told you that over a year ago in the note I left!"
"We are never over, Em," Roger said. "It's you and me til the end, babe. A note is never gonna change that."
"I'm not your babe," she snapped. Her mind was still racing. How did he know anything about her without her seeing him? Then it hit her.
"You bugged this place," she said.
"Oh, Em," Roger tutted. "Of course I put listening devices everywhere, with some help of course. I couldn't very well come in here and do it myself. I paid some blue haired chick to do it and then paid her to never come back here. What I kept hearing in here greatly disturbed me. I mean, what were all those lies you told about me? You painted me as a monster, so I decided to get close to someone you cared about and get even."
Lucy.
"You hurt Lucy," Emily said, horrified suddenly. Her suspicion had been right. It wasn't some guy named Tanner who had hurt Lucy. It was Roger.
Roger didn't answer, which angered Emily further.
"Come on," he said, grabbing her hard and yanking her with him back to the kitchen. Emily looked back at Nathan, who was still unconscious. Roger threw her into the table, and she cried out as she hit it before hitting the floor. He went to drag Nathan in with them, and then he went back over to her, taking her hand and dragging her over to the stove and cuffing her to it.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"You'll see," he answered, leaving her. She saved her energy pulling on the cuff cos she knew that wasn't going to get her anywhere. She had a very bad feeling about what Roger was going to do.
"Nathan," she said loudly. "Nathan!"
He didn't respond, and she started to cry. She could take whatever Roger was going to dish out, but she didn't want Nathan to get hurt. She had promised Nick she'd look after him after all.
Even though she knew nobody would hear her, she let out a blood curdling scream.
...
Mei heard the scream from outside. She was coming home from a friend's, but now she stopped, frowning. What was happening? She stood cautiously, moving to a side window of the diner. She saw a man hauling a gas can through the front door with him, tossing gas everywhere, and she froze. This was not good, not good at all. She fumbled for her phone, going somewhere safe to call Luke.
"Luke, you gotta get to the diner," she said instantly after he picked up.
"What's going on? Where are you?"
"Outside the diner. I don't know what's happening, but I heard a scream, and some guy is taking a gas can into the diner."
"What?!"
"I think it's bad, Luke," Mei said. "I think Emily is in there."
"Shit. Sit tight. I'm coming," Luke instructed. Then he hung up. Mei hid herself away and hoped he would hurry up.
...
"What are you doing?" Emily asked again as Roger came back. He set the now empty gas can at his feet. It was a dumb question. She knew what he was doing.
"You and me, we're going down in flames," he said. "If I can't have you, no one can have you."
"So your solution is death," she said. He finished, lit the match, walked out to the front, and threw it onto the gas, which burst into instant flames. Then he came back into the kitchen to her, uncuffing her and hauling her up again. His grip was like a vice, and she couldn't get free of it.
"You know it," he said. She tried one last time to hit him and break free, but he wrapped his arm around her and gripped her neck hard, pressing the gun into her skull. The flames crackled out front, and Emily knew they'd eventually get to them.
"Please," she begged. "Let Nathan go. He didn't do anything."
"He's a part of you...a part of Nick. He has to go too."
"Please..."
He tightened his hold, choking her. She tried to scream again, but he covered her mouth.
This was really the end. All she could think about was Nathan, Mei, and Luke. She wished she had made things right with Luke. Before long, they could hear sirens.
"Shit," Roger swore. The flames were high around the doors and windows out front now anyway and coming closer to them, so Emily knew they wouldn't come in unless they knew someone was still inside. Even then, it was risky.
"You're done, Roger," she said. He threw her again, and then he moved to hit her some more while she lay on the floor covering herself with her hands as best as she could.
...
Luke drove like a maniac to get there. He now knew who Roger was. He'd been a part of the corrupted cop ring he'd busted and had gotten demoted. The saddest part was he suddenly remembered knowing Roger's partner had been killed. Nick Charlton. That meant Emily was Emily Charlton, the woman Roger had told everyone he was looking after and caring for. He had fooled them all. Luke knew he could be dirty, but he didn't see him as a woman beater. He skidded to a stop at the end of his driveway, noticing that police, fire trucks, and an ambulance were already there. He was too late.
"Mei?!" Luke shouted, pushing through the crowd. The sight of the flames was like a sucker punch to the stomach. "MEI!"
"Here!" she called. He got to her, and she was crying as she grabbed onto him.
"Where's Nate?" Luke asked.
"I think he's inside," she sobbed. "He's not answering his phone."
He looked at the building, and he just knew. Roger had done this. He broke free of her grip and charged towards it.
"LUKE!" she screamed after him. He ran around to Emily's apartment, avoiding the police and firefighters, bursting through the flames that had started there, and going inside. She wasn't there. He had hoped Mei had been wrong about her being trapped inside the diner. He found the door in the wall and opened it, climbing up the stairs and going down the next flight, coming out into the diner side. Flames were getting higher still, and the smoke was thick.
He put his arm over his mouth as best as he could as he searched.
He got to the kitchen to find a man yanking Emily up to hold tightly against him, a gun to her head. Luke had not expected Roger to still be there. He was also enraged to see fresh bruises and cuts on Emily's face and arms.
"Don't come any closer," Roger warned.
"What's your plan, Roger?" Luke asked. "You all die together? Huh?"
"That's the plan," Roger nodded. Luke noticed Nathan was unconscious on the floor a couple feet away.
"It doesn't have to end this way," Luke tried.
"Oh, cut the bullshit, Luke," Roger said. "That's right, I remember you, Mr. Principle. You got me demoted after you ratted us all out."
"How about you and I deal with this outside?" Luke offered. "You can get even with me."
"I'm good right here," Roger said, gesturing with his head. Luke took a step forward, and then another.
"You say no because you know I'll win," Luke said, trying to distract him. "Since you know everything about me."
"Stop. Moving!" Roger yelled. "I will blow her away right here right now. I don't have to go outside with you in order to get even. I can finish what Emile and his mob never could."
"That's right," Luke nodded. "You were buddies with Emile. How much did he pay you to kill Nick, huh?" It all came back to him in a rush. Nick had approached Luke discreetly to ask some questions, questions that alerted Luke to what was going on, but Nick had been killed before Luke could speak with him again.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Roger said angrily.
"Nick was close to taking down Emile's operation, and he was suspicious of your involvement. You couldn't have that, so you shot your own partner," Luke said. "What? Did you not think anyone would put that together?"
"Shut up!" Roger roared. Emily, enraged at this news, tried to hit him, but he held her fast. "It doesn't matter now. We're all finished here."
Emily moved her eyes to look at Luke. She was terrified on top of her anger. He did his best to convey that she was going to be all right. He just needed a distraction.
And he got one, but it wasn't ideal.
The explosion from one of his tanks outside rocked the building, but it caused Roger to loosen his grip on Emily for that brief moment she needed. She elbowed him hard and yanked herself free, and Luke was on him in a second.
Emily crawled over to Nathan while Luke and Roger fought. She was coughing from the smoke, and she knew they couldn't stay in there much longer. At least Nathan had a pulse still.
"Wake up, Nathan," she begged, smacking his face. "Wake up!"
She looked up as Roger roared and threw Luke clean across the room and then ran to keep attacking him. Luke had impressive speed, recovering and getting up fast to block most of the blows while delivering his own. He tried to get the gun from Roger, but it went off in the struggle, and he couldn't get it.
"LUKE!" Emily screamed, seeing the bullet hit Luke in his side. Luke didn't even flinch, though. He elbowed Roger in the face and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying. Emily looked at the table in front of her and remembered. There was a second gun. She crawled over to it, pulling out the gun that was stuck underneath it.
Luke dodged another bullet, but barely. Roger was back on his feet, gun aimed at him.
"You shoulda just stayed out of this!" Roger shrieked. He went to pull the trigger, and a gunshot went off, but it wasn't from his gun. Luke watched as Roger's eyes widened as another bullet hit him, and he fell face first to the floor. It was clear he was dead.
Emily's hands were shaking badly at this point. Luke went over to her and took the gun from her hand. It was very hot in there now, and he knew they weren't getting out.
"Luke," she said as he grabbed her arms.
"Come on," he urged. He pushed her in the direction of the walk-in fridge before bending to pick up Nathan. His wound was screaming at him, but he ignored it. Emily helped him get Nathan into the fridge, and Luke shut the door behind them. It would have to do until they were rescued. He sank to the floor, feeling the damage the bullet had done to him now that his adrenaline was wearing off. He pulled out his phone and turned the flashlight on, examining his wound.
"That looks really bad," Emily said.
"It's not great," he agreed. She removed her work shirt she had on over her tank top and pushed it on his wound to slow the bleeding. He was leaning against the shelves, feeling them dig into his back. Nathan was still unconscious but stable.
"I never thought I'd see you again," Emily said. "I was so sure this was the end this time."
"I told you," Luke replied. "This time, you had me."
Emily nodded fiercely, tears in her eyes. She wasn't doing well with the bleeding.
"How long before they get it under control?" she asked him.
"Firemen are outside already. They were working on it when I came in here."
"Okay." Emily smiled weakly as he put his hand on her face.
"You're gonna be all right," he promised.
"You have to be too," she said. It was now or never. She wished she had told him sooner, that she hadn't let fear dictate things once again.
"If it's my time, then it's my time," he told her. She shook her head vehemently.
"No," she said. "You can't leave me."
Luke was feeling light headed now. Emily was practically sitting on him, pushing her shirt into his wound, her face right in front of his.
"Not much we can do about it," he gestured.
"I'm pregnant," she blurted. He blinked at her, trying to comprehend.
"You are?" he asked.
"Yes," she nodded. "I was afraid to tell you because...well, look at what happened last time."
"Em, you know I'd never do that to you..." he started.
"I know, but I was still scared. What if you didn't want the baby? What if you were done with me because of it?"
"Em," he said, incredulous. "Do you not know me at all?" Then he remembered the silence he had given her for a couple of days. Of course she would be triggered. He felt like an idiot.
"Old habits," she whispered.
"I'm sorry for being stupid," he told her. "I didn't mean to shut you out."
"So we're both sorry," she agreed. "Let's move on then, shall we?"
"Sounds good."
She gripped his face with her free hand. She could feel his blood on her other hand.
"I love you," he said, resting his hand on her shoulder now. "And I'm really happy about this."
"Are you? You said before you didn't think you'd be a good father..."
"But I have you," he interrupted. "And that already makes me better. You make me better."
He grunted in pain then, and he could feel himself going into a bit of shock.
"Luke," she said, gripping his face harder. "Luke, stay with me."
He coughed. Things were getting a bit fuzzy now.
"Luke, hang on," Emily begged. "Please. I love you. Don't leave me. Don't leave us."
He tried to touch her face but missed. He felt himself sliding towards the floor. Then it was dark.