Hope you are ready for a long chapter, enjoy.

Chapter 79

One minute I was joking with Tiny about Beast and his over protectiveness the next I was running for my life leaving everyone I cared for behind me and thinking I was a coward.

I should have stayed, I should have protected my family.

I rub my hands on my face and try to convince myself I did what was asked of me even against what my heart wanted me to do. I remembered what Preacher had asked me to do if things went south. I knew he would find me at our spot. No one knew where our safe spot was only us. We had found it by accident and had stayed there for a couple of days cleaning it up and bringing supplies just in case we needed to hang out and lay low.

Others had tried to find the cave off of the side of the cliffs but as much as they tried they could never get to it, not his crew nor any random person that could see the cave from the shore. We had made sure of it. Only we knew the secret of getting over the ditch and the scary climb down the side of the cliff to get to our spot.

I looked out at the tide coming in, it was getting late and still Preacher hadn't shown. I should go back, they might be hurt or worse.

I was a coward. I should have stayed behind and faced Boyd.

Boyd had found me, when I saw him I froze. I couldn't move and started to hyperventilate. He saw me and smiled and started to come towards me. I grabbed Tiny's hand I couldn't speak, Beast started to growl and it seemed like everything was going in slow motion. Tiny laughed and pointed down the pier. I saw Boss Man, Popeye and Too Mean. I was so happy to see them but Boyd caught the change in my expression and turned to see what I was looking at and stopped. He pulled a gun out. I raised my hand to Tiny and pointed to Boyd.

Tiny yelled to get down as the first shots were fired. I saw them all go down and I screamed and tried to run to them. Tiny grabbed me and pushed me behind him. Everyone started to run and yell and the last thing he said to me was to run. I saw Boyd behind him and Beast jump up to attack.

I did as I was told and I ran not wanting to let Tiny or Preacher down. I ran around and over people. I kept running. I needed to get away. I was waiting for that bullet to hit me from behind, Boyd wanted me dead and this confirmed it. I kept running till I got to the cliffs and now I sit here waiting.

I pull my knees close to my chest and hold myself tight. I replayed the scene over and over again wondering if I should have just let him shoot me, my family would be safe and I'd wouldn't be a burden to anyone any longer.

Why was this happening? Maybe it was God's way of telling me I should have been in that car with mom and my brother Jake. I was lost without them and I was a curse to anyone that tried to help me. If any of my new family was hurt because of me I'd never forgive myself.

What about Momma and Wick? I'd forgotten they were there too.

I started to cry. I wanted to just disappear, I should have never gone up to Boss Man and Beast that day on the boardwalk. I should have just minded my own business and none of this would have happened. They all could be dead and I would be to blame.

Oh no what about CJ, Uncle Roy and Will? What if Boss Man was dead? They'd never forgive me. I knew they wouldn't and Carol and Maureen would hate me too.

I should just run away to another part of the state, maybe go down to San Diego and start over again there. It was getting late and there was still no Preacher.

I was gathering what clothes I had stashed there and some food. I would start my escape today. I'd walk till it got dark and then find somewhere to sleep for the night and keep moving. I'd vow that I would not make any friends as I went along the way. It hurts too much to make friends and then leave them behind. The thing that hurt the most was that I wouldn't get to help Jake find his momma. Preacher said one of my contacts had come to him with news of a pregnant woman on the pier on Friday and she was homeless, it could be Jake's mom. But now I'd have to leave that to someone else to do. I'd call in to the police station with that tip once I got to San Diego.

I was about to leave when I heard footsteps. It had to be Preacher but then I heard more footsteps like more than one person and I hid. Could Boyd have followed me up here and found my hiding place? I looked around for a weapon all I found was a tire iron and a flashlight. I grabbed it and hid. I was going to fight, he was not going to take me without a fight and I would avenge my family if anyone had been hurt I'd want to hurt him back.

I saw three shadows and knew it couldn't be Preacher he wouldn't….

"Shit she's not here, Dammit Star where the Hell are you!"

I stood up and dropped the tire iron.

A turned on the flashlight and whimpered.

There in front of me was my family.

Popeye, Preacher and Boss Man.

"Oh thank God you are here, darling come over here and give your Boss a hug."

I ran and he caught me as I held him tight. I started to cry and he rubbed my back.

"Hey what am I chop liver, Star I am happy for once you listened to what you were supposed to do but don't do that again I don't think my heart can take it and happy you are safe. Momma would skin me alive if I didn't bring you back in one piece."

I let go of Boss man and jumped into Popeye's arms. He held me and I could swear I felt a tear fall on my face but before he got a good look he pushed me into Preacher's arms.

"Little Sis, you made me cuss and momma is going to have my hide. She thinks I am a bad influence if she only knew you taught me half those bad words. But don't worry Sis your secret is safe with me."

He hugged me and I felt safe again. I didn't want to go but I knew they were here to take me back.

I blurted out, "Boyd was the shooter! He saw me and was coming towards me and then Tiny pointed you two out to me and he looked behind him to see who I was looking at and he pulled out a gun…"

Boss Man came and put his arm around me, "We know darling, I'm just glad you weren't there you could have been hurt or worse. He ran after we started to shoot back, I'm sure he wasn't expecting that."

Popeye nodded, "Yeah he was expecting no resistance from us Star. I chased him and another guy down the boardwalk and I lost them when they started to shoot with a bunch of people running and trying to hide, they had no regard for human life. I had to yell at everyone to get down and lost them. You're safe, that's all that matters now but, we need to get to the Hospital."

I pushed away from Boss man, "Why? Who did he hurt? It's my fault I should have just let him…"

Preacher grabbed me by my upper arms and shook me. "No this isn't your fault, it's that sick asshole and once I find him I'm going to teach him what happens to men that like to target little girls, I never want to hear that from you ever again do you hear me?"

I was crying looking up at him and nodded. He pulled me into his arms.

"Tiny got hurt and Wick was shot. Momma is okay but Star Beast got hurt too, he tried to jump on Boyd and it looked like a knife wound not a bullet."

Boss man came close, "I thought he shot him, he used a knife?"

Preacher let me go and I turned to Boss man. He nodded and said one of his crew had picked it up with a napkin and had put it in a bag and had taken it to Dr. Carter's clinic.

Popeye walked over and I grabbed his hand and Boss man's, "how bad is he? My poor baby, come on we need to go to him, then the hospital please I need to see that they are going to live."

"What's this Star?"

I turned around and saw the backpack he had in his hands and the food in the other bag. "Were you going to run?"

I looked down and they knew the answer.

Popeye cursed, "Listen real good you are through running hear me? Running away never gets anything solved. You should know that by now. Promise me, Houston and Preacher that you will never run again. We will find a way to keep you safe. I am sorry I failed you, it won't happen again. Please little one don't ever do that you'll kill momma and Beautiful if you do that."

"Don't forget Carol, Maureen, Uncle Roy, Chris, Tiny and Luca, he will hunt you down and bring you back kicking and screaming. Popeye's right, we will protect you and I'm sorry, this threat was bigger than we thought."

Preacher dropped the bags, "I agree the crew would have hunted you down and found you and then you'd have to deal with my wrath if you disappeared."

I turned to Boss Man, "What do you mean bigger than you thought?"

Boss man and Popeye looked at each other, "Let's get to the vet and will fill you in on the way okay."

I knew it was more bad news. I couldn't be given a break once I think things are looking up when someone yanks the rug from under me. We make it out of the cave and head back towards the pier.

We walked by the café. I see the aftermath and it looks like a war zone. I stop and look around the tables are still overturned and the bullet holes, so many everywhere. Preacher grabs me and starts to walk faster when an officer stops us.

I was still technically a runaway. If they started to ask questions I could be taken in or worse back to my step father, I panic and Preacher whispers in my ear to calm down and don't say anything.

Boss man walks towards us. As does Popeye. The officer is talking to them. I don't look up and I could hear them talking to the officer and he says that I fit the description of the girl that ran during the shootout. I should have changed my clothes, stupid mistake. He then looks at Boss man and Popeye and asks if they were the ones that started the shooting on the pier. They started to argue with them and said they'd have to come down to the station and where their weapons were. I whimpered they were going to jail because of me.

Then another officer starts to question and asks Preacher for his name. I started to look around thinking I needed to get away. I would die before I go back to juvie or worse my stepfather.

"Houston!"

I gasped and looked up, it was the Lieutenant that had been at Boss man's office. Popeye stepped between me and the officers. He whispered something to Preacher and he nodded.

Popeye starts to yell, "Why did I listen to you Cowboy? It's gotten me into nothing but trouble. These cops don't care about what goes down at the pier. They don't care for the locals and yeah I'm a local. They'll label it as gang violence when we know better. I should have never gotten involved with you and your people."

I gasped. What was Popeye doing? I looked at Boss man and he was upset.

"Oh really? You think you're John Wayne and can take care of everything here at the pier? You can't just make up your own rules, right Hoyt?"

The Lieutenant stopped and looked at both of them, "What the hell happened? You two started this gunfight? Houston start talking or I swear I will haul you down to the station right now, I have my Captain and the mayor calling me asking what the hell happen and when I found out you were involved I went to the hospital and I had to see if you were there but your family was and they are not too happy especially CJ. So why don't you start from the beginning because there is only so much pull I have before someone higher than me comes over and wants your head on a platter."

I try to come forward but Preacher doesn't let me and starts to pull me away from the arguing.

Popeye laughed, "Great if you jackasses would get off your butts and stop hanging out at the donut shop, then citizens like myself wouldn't have to do your job for you. You said to trust them, Cowboy but it's better to take the law into your own hands. Hey news flash it was me that was shooting at them and protecting those on the pier, I have a permit to carry and if someone starts to shoot at me we I'm shooting back!"

I looked at Boss Man and he winked at me, "My friend here is right, we were protecting our people from the shooter whomever he was since you didn't get here in time. Hoyt what more do we have to do to tell you what happened here at the Bar and with Jake it has to be all connected and yeah I'm getting tired of getting shot at. Check the bullets that hurt people, it wasn't us, I guarantee it."

Lt. Hoyt came up to them and started to yell at Boss Man and he yelled right back, Popeye started yelling again and the officer started to tell them to settle down or they would be arrested. Other people started to gather and started to yell at the police saying that there would be more people dead if Boss man and Popeye hadn't stepped in. The arguing got louder and Preacher grabbed my hand and started to pull me away. His crew came out of nowhere and started to form a wall around us as others started to egg on the police and the press started to run up to Boss man and Popeye to get their side of the story..

"We can't leave them, Preacher."

He kept walking and asked one of his guys to tell him what was going on. He explained to me that Popeye said when he nodded at him to get me out of there that if they found out I was a runaway I'd be taken away. I wanted to turn back from what Preacher's guy was saying as the crowd was getting louder and bigger.

We made it to the beach and I was given another sweatshirt and Preacher threw the one I had on away. We ran till we made it to Dr. Carter's office.

We went through the back door and they were waiting for us.

Dr. Carter's assistant came over and said Beast was in recovery. It wasn't as bad as they thought but still the wound was deep and needed stitches.

I nodded and asked if I could see him she said as soon as Dr. Carter gave the okay than it should be okay, she said to go into the waiting area, Preacher nodded no but she said that the office was closed to the public with what went down at the pier they had decided to close.

We went to sit down and I started to chew on my nails.

"That is a nasty habit Star stop."

I shrugged, "I'm tired of running and Preacher…"

He looked at me. "I'm scared, what Popeye said that message Boyd left at the Bar was for me. Why? What did I do that he hates me so much? I should just disappear. It would be better for everyone, you know I'm right. If I'm not here he can't hurt me or anyone in my new family. Preacher helped me get away, if Boyd finds out I left he'll leave them alone."

The door rattled as if someone was trying to get in. I jumped as did Preacher. He told me to go to the back and I hid. He looked relaxed. He used the key to open the door. Popeye and Boss man walked in. I let go of the breath I was holding.

"So how's the hound from Hell?"

"Hey Lucifer! That's not a very nice thing to say about Star's dog and he's going to be alright. Star, do you want to see him?"

Popeye raised his hands and mumbled sorry.

I nodded and she took me to the room holding my best friend. I opened the door and he looked up and started to move, "Hey big guy what did I say no moving around you need to heal, Star talk to your pal here."

I ran to him and hugged Beast, "you saved me baby, you warned me and put your life on the line for me. You shouldn't have done that, your daddy is going to be so mad that you're hurt because of me. I need you to get better, okay?"

His tail was wagging and he listened. I was telling him what a good boy he was and that I was going to give him all the steak he could eat. Preacher came over and Beast growled.

"Hey we are on the same side, we both protect Star so we need to come to an understanding buddy. Oh and thanks for saving her, things could have been a lot worse."

Dr. Carter was telling us that she wanted to keep Beast overnight. I bit my lip. I didn't want to leave him but we needed to get to the hospital. I needed to see Tiny and Wick with my own two eyes to stop the anxiety that was slowly trying to take over me.

"Star, I live upstairs, I'll be monitoring him all night. He will be okay. You can stay if you want."

"She's not staying, she's coming with us, it's not safe for her life…"

Dr. Carter turned to Popeye, "What do you mean she's not safe with me? I can take care of myself and Star if she wants to stay, of all the sexist things to say…"

Popeye started to argue with her and Boss Man let out a whistle and they both stopped.

"What Popeye was trying to say was that Star's life is in danger. The shooting at the pier and the trashing at his bar was done because they wanted to harm Star. So no offense Doc but she is coming with us to the hospital and Star I don't want any arguments."

Doc started to yell at Popeye again, "what does he mean her life is in danger? Boyd wants to harm her and you haven't taken care of it? Why are you going to the hospital? Who else was hurt?"

Popeye rubbed his forehead. "Tiny was hurt as was one of Luca's guys. I think you know him, Wick. We need to see if they are okay. I didn't mean that you couldn't take care of yourself Doc. This guy has attacked us twice in one day and it's not adding up. Can I use your phone? Cowboy I'm going to have some of the guys at the house come here to watch over Beast and Doc."

I smiled, knowing Beast would be protected as well as Dr. Carter made me feel better.

"Okay they are on their way. I think you know them too and they will be asking for the hound from hell. Are you staying Preacher or coming to the Hospital with us."

He looked at me and shook his head. "I'm waiting for that lead. We were working on I'll wait at the Bar, oh and Popeye my crew said the police are gone doing their investigation, we can start cleaning if you want."

He agreed and said he'd pay them for their time. We left. I hugged Dr. Carter and had her promise me that she'd let Beast know where I was once he woke up. She promised and we started to walk to the Bar.

We made it and Popeye let them in because it was a mess and I saw the message Boyd left for me. I wrapped my arms around me and Boss man said I should have waited outside. I nodded no.

"I need to see this to keep my guard up. I'm not going to run anymore. Not when I have something to fight for. I want my family safe and we will get him and find out what happened to Jake's mom."

Preacher walked us out and we were going to Boss Man's car when a truck pulled up and a guy got out.

Boss man and Preacher stood in front of me and Preacher whispered if he said to run to go.

"That's Joe, he's a farmer that comes to sell things on Friday at the Farmers Market."

"Hey are you not open today? I've come by twice and called a bunch. I need your help. One of my worker's came down to sell our produce and she didn't return, wondering if you had seen her. I think you remember her Sabrina? She was one of the kids that lived on the Pier. She used to help us out when we came to sell."

Preacher spoke up, "Yeah I know her. She left with a group of kids a couple of months ago."

"She did but, she ended up with us at the farm. The misses and I are worried. She was supposed to come down and sell for us, said she wanted to reconnect with friends and would be back Sunday. She was a no show and well here I am. I took the same route she would have and stopped at police stations and nothing."

I remembered Sabrina. She had curly brown hair and the prettiest eyes. She was always smiling.

"I don't remember her coming around but we can ask, right Preacher?"

He nodded, "Why are you worried?"

"She's about to give birth. I've gone to all the hospitals from here to up where we live and no one is in the maternity ward."

All the pieces fell together and I gasped, "Jake's mom".