This chapter was hard to write, I'm not gonna lie. It is not overly graphic because that really isn't my thing. One more chapter after this, thank you to everyone who read this long, convoluted story, I appreciate it so much :) There's music in this story and of course I'm a Jersey girl so I had to use my favorite Bruce song :)

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"Outside the street's on fire
In a real death waltz.
Between what's flesh and what's fantasy
And the poets down here
Don't write nothing at all.
They just stand back and let it all be,
And in the quick of the night
They reach for their moment,
And try to make an honest stand.
But they wind up wounded,
Not even dead,
Tonight in Jungleland."

Jungleland by Bruce Springsteen

"And how do you think your little girlfriend, cousin, fuckbuddy or whatever the fuck you call her is gonna like knowing what you really are." Martin sneered as he pulled Lucy up to her feet and held her against him like a shield. She was dazed and bruised and Mac's heart was in his throat just thinking what must have happened to her.

He had gotten there as soon as he could and got the upper hand quickly, only to have the tables turn when Martin got to Lucy before he could.

Mac had killed Marco and Stanley, by ambushing them in another part of the cave, but Martin wasn't going down without a fight. No fucking way and somehow Mac knew it would always have come to this, him and Martin killing each other. But Lucy was not collateral damage, she had to be saved, no matter what. She had bought a test, that meant one thing, there might be a baby.

"She already knows," Mac answered as his eyes went over to his girl, her clothes were wet where the had poured alcohol on her and it was obvious they slammed her around. There was blood all over her legs, scratches on her arms and legs, mixed with the red dirt and Mac just knew.

Martin pulled her closer to himself and put the knife to her throat. Her head hung down at first and then she forced herself to look up. She was hurt, that was clear, but she had to keep her head up and make eye contact with Mac.

"Yeah, she does, cause we told her." He replied, and when Mac didn't respond to that he continued, "We all took our turns already, but we left you some. You want one last ride on her before I off her."

"No they didn't, don't listen to him baby," Lucy moaned, "He's trying to make you crazy."

But Mac knew they did, he just knew. He could see it in her face, he'd seen that look on the girls he had attacked. She was all glassy eyes and broken, there was blood on her, all over her. She had a gash on her forehead and a split lip and he was going to kill this motherfucker. His breathing started coming out in puffs, he was about to lose control and charge Martin, end this once and for all. But Martin had a knife to her throat, he had to remember that.

"Don't you fuckin touch her!" Mac yelled.

But Martin held the knife to Lucy's throat, they were at an impossible impasse and Mac saw no way out of it at all.

"They didn't Mac, they didn't touch me. They're a bunch of fucking pussies!" Lucy yelled, and Martin squeezed her neck harder.

"You're a fucking liar, bitch and you loved it!" Martin growled at her, "I fucked you good."

"You wish," Lucy yelled, "He didn't Mac, I swear to god!"

He knew that wasn't true, she was trying to calm him down and he never loved her more than in that moment. Even after what he was sure they had done to her, she was trying to calm him down; Take care of your Lucy she loves you true.

"I wanted you to know that I love the way you laugh.
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away.
I keep your photograph and I know it serves me well.
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain.
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome,
And I don't feel right when you're gone away."

"We all fucked your woman." Martin hollered again.

"Take. Your. Hands. Off. My. Wife," Mac uttered and cocked the gun. Martin's face fell, he was a dead man walking now and he knew it.

There was nothing left to lose now, "Fuck you, Mac!"

Mac wavered for a second, he couldn't stand to hear it, they had hurt her, just like he always feared. But it was worse, he had always been afraid that she would be taken away, but this? He hadn't thought of this, and it was all his fault, maybe he should just put the gun to his own head. Then Lucy's voice brought him back to earth.

"Mac shoot him," She whispered, "Shoot him," Then a little louder, " Shoot him," She yelled as she tried to stand up straighter and out of the way. Martin just pulled her closer and used her body as protection.

"I can't baby," The gun shook in Mac's hand, for the first time in his life a gun shook in his hand, "He's got you too close." His voice cracked, "Can't get a clear shot."

"Do it, Mac!" She screamed, "Kill him!" Martin pulled her by the hair and moved her in front of him more, trying to keep Mac and his gun off balance.

It all happened so fast, Mac saw the blade go down on Lucy's neck and he shot, hitting Martin in the head. They both fell to the floor and he ran to her, pulling Martin's body off of her and she was so white, already dead. Mac slid down along the wall behind him and pulled her into his lap, holding her tight as her blood soaked his shirt and for one of the first times in his life he cried. He pulled her body up to his and held her between his outstretched legs, rocking back and forth in grief.

"No, no, no, no, no," He rocked back and forth for what seemed like hours to him, just holding her.

The pain would never go away and was so acute he didn't know if he would be able to finish this.

"I always loved you more. Lucy," He cried, "l loved you more, goddammit."

"The worst is over now and we can breathe again.
I wanna hold you high, you steal my pain away,
There's so much left to learn, and no one left to fight.
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain.
'Cause I'm broken when I'm open.
And I don't feel like I am strong enough.
'Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome,
And I don't feel right when you're gone away."

AN: The song in this chapter is "Broken" By Seether holy crap it's sad and wonderful.