THIRTEEN
FINALE
PART II
"It's like I'm looking right through you / There's nothing on your skeleton / Your heart is gone / You're acting like it doesn't even matter / Like I don't even matter / The way it was / The rush of blood / You gave it all up / You're acting like it doesn't even matter / Like I don't even matter." -GABRIELLE APLIN
-x-
"I was a small solider and I still am / Can't say what has changed apart from days and I love Jurassic Park, well, I still do / Actually, I'm the same except that now I take a pill or two / ...See the news and feel the blues, I'm feeling out of touch / I was an astronaut once upon a time / Now I'm trying to stay grounded, keep some order in my life... / I'm not growing up, I'm aging / My mind's incarcerated." -RALEIGH RITCHIE
"Korinna!" Yaya Rokos' raspy voice called out to the dark haired teen.
Korinna had been sitting up in her room with the door locked. She was feeling nauseous until she sat crossed legged toying with her yaya's pistol allowing her mind to think of different scenarios on how to end this. The sixteen year old couldn't be fooled no matter how hard one tried. When Korinna returned back to the penthouse after her little run-in with Mr. Winslow, she had been feeling a stiffness in her neck and the urge to do something. Korinna had figured out the code to her yaya's safe not finding her or Dr. Woon in the home when she returned. To say her grandmother was loaded with a few guns herself would be an understatement. One by one her black coffee eyes scanned over each weapon, thinking over how much damage she could create with that. Time was still ticking and Korinna was becoming impatient waiting on Jovanna to come forth with any news.
Through blurred ears Korinna could hear her Yaya calling out for her, yet again as she pinched her eyes shut so tight that they almost hurt. The feeling of nausea subsided as she pulled her almond eyes open, glancing around the walls that surrounded her. "Yes?" Korinna answered pushing herself to get to her feet.
Making sure the safety lock was on Korinna shoved the pistol underneath the mattress then proceeded to head to the door. Poking her head out the hallway first, she later stepped out and padded down the hallway to the top of the steps to meet her grandmother's alert oval eyes. "Pósi óra eísai edó?" (How long have you been here?)
"Eh...óchi polý." Korinna shrugged. (Not long)
Yaya shifted her eyes a bit as she stared at her grandchild in dead air before waving her hands, "Ela káto. I Gimello eínai edó." (Come down. The Gimello's are here.)
The left side of Korinna's face lifted as she moved to descend down the steps towards her relative. Once her feet hit the left step, Korinna made a right seeing Eric snacking on something while laughing at something Jovanna had said to him, her slightly deep voice boomed as she laughed along with the taller man. "It's about time you guys showed up. I was beginning to get worried." Korinna announced her arrival as she shuffled herself into the room, stopping to pluck a cucumber from the platter and shove it into her mouth as she carried on into the living room.
Vito threw his head back as Korinna made her way over to the couch, "Good to see you, sweetheart."
Korinna placed her cheek against Vito's and kissed her lips, "Likewise."
The teen made her way around the couch to kiss Nona Gimello who patted her backside in greeting and plopped down next to Nicky. Nicky sat with a cigarette in between his lips and his elbows pressed deep into his knee's with one knee bouncing. Korinna tilted her head as she leaned forward to peek over at Vito and pointed, "What's his problem?"
Vito blew out a breath and ignored the question with his own, "How are you?"
"I feel fabulous. You?" Korinna dryly chimed.
Vito fiddled with his fedora, "Fine. May Paz and Enzo say hi by the way."
Korinna didn't encourage Vito's beaming smile as her eyes turned into slits, eyeing Nicky's actions. Something was clearly up and Korinna was going to get to the bottom of it. Korinna scooted forward, sitting on the edge of the couch and leaned towards Nicky glancing over her shoulder to see if her own grandmother was watching her and was glad that she wasn't. "Cosa succede con voi?" (what's up with you?)
Nicky grunted as he blew smoke from his nostrils before taking another long inhale.
"Sai di Mr. Winslow and his ex-wife?" (do you know about...?)
Nicky leaned forward to jam the cigarette into the glass ash tray and then turned back to Korinna, "I know about a lot of things."
"Yeah?"
Nicky's jade eyes analyzed the teen in beside him, "Why do you think I'm fuckin' here if I didn't at least know somethin'?"
"Then stop being pissy and just spit it out already!" Korinna hissed causing a even deeper glare to appear in Nicky's eyes.
Nicky breathed out a laugh as he pointed at the coffee table in front of them, "Me, Vito, and Jo found out where the Luh's are located."
"Derek and Delaney too?" Korinna wondered moving to pick up the map, reading the coordinates with little effort.
"Probably." Vito hinted.
Korinna faced Vito, "Probably? Did Nadia help you with any of this information or did you get some other guys to?"
"Both." Vito shrugged, sipping from his glass.
"Okay...so they're west from the downtown area." Korinna summarized.
"That's right." Nicky emitted.
Korinna hummed at that, "Did any of you and your people scope out the area or get a good look at what we're dealing with?"
"We're not dealing with anything." Vito pointed out, causing Korinna to frown.
"Excuse me?"
Jovanna stepped in, "Meaning we'll take care of it."
Korinna shoved the map to the side, "Okay so what was the point of you showing me these coordinates if you didn't want me involved? You also have no leads on where Derek and Delaney are."
"We can't just come and visit?" Vito exclaimed, placing his hand on his chest in mock hurt.
Korinna shook her head as she pulled her legs to her chest, "No. Not with everything that's going on lately you can't. Do you all know about Mr. Winslow finding out about my old therapy sessions back in Skiathos?"
"Banks told us." Nicky mentioned, leaning back into the charcoal velvet couch.
Korinna laughed not even questioning how Banks knew this, "étsi óste na échoun ti diatírisi kartelón gia ména pára polý, e?" (so you have been keeping tabs on me too, huh?) Her head now tilted back up at the ceiling as her question was directed at her Yaya.
Her grandmother's heels clicked against the wooden floor as she placed her hands on the edge of the couch, "Jovanna told us of your plans. It's not going to happen your way, Korinna. Let us handle it. As for new information that Banks provided us with, Mrs. Winslow-now Mrs. Simpson will be served papers for releasing patient documents without permission. I'll make sure of it. That's not what you need to worry about, you need to worry about getting better."
"Oh please. Dr. Woon's been giving me IV's almost every hour and I feel fine for someone who has no fuckin' clue what's wrong with her." Korinna growled, her eyes filled with heat as she directed her stare at Jovanna who crossed her arms.
Vito sighed not bothering to tell Korinna to watch her tone, "We just came here to let you know where we are with this entire situation. I don't know how you thought we'd just let you decide to kill someone."
"Let me?" Korinna echoed as her hair fell from it's hair-tie, "Last time I checked you two were no longer my legal guardians anymore."
Nona Gimello spoke up for the first time, "Aye! Look at me, Korinna."
Korinna did what was asked of her to stare at the red haired woman; whose memory was in tact today, "We have prepared for this moment our entire lives. We know what to do, you deserve better and getting wrapped in this life is not it. We're doing our jobs in modo da chiudere la bocca e trattare con esso." (so shut your mouth and deal with it.)
Feeling a headache arriving again, Korinna closed her eyes shut trying to not let it win. Dr. Woon watched from over Yaya Rokos' shoulder as Korinna's tensed body relaxed right before she opened her eyes. Unfolding her arms that were wrapped around her knees she stared at the faces around her emotionless, "If your plan is to exclude me from something that is heavily about me just to protect the damsel in distress then, fine."
"Fine?" Vito repeated.
Korinna blinked.
"I have something to do."
"Which is?" Nicky questioned.
"Keep my mind off of you guys going out there murdering a family," Korinna answered getting to her feet, "I'm gonna go spend time with my boyfriend. After all he did just lose his mother."
Jovanna twisted her body as she watched Korinna walk around them. The way murder could fall so easily from her tongue was intriguing especially for someone who hadn't committed the crime before. Breaking the unwanted silence so Korinna wouldn't catch on, Dr. Woon cleared his throat following after Korinna who picked up one of the cups filled with hot coco.
"Before you go we have to do another IV for at least thirty minutes."
"Okay." Korinna quipped before swallowing the burning liquid.
Dr. Woon held his hand out for Korinna to walk by, glancing back at the worried faces behind them before continuing on his way.
Yaya Rokos turned to the faces around her blowing out a breath, "We need to get this Luh situation done with and fast so I can get her out of here."
"Agreed." Vito blew out a harsh breath before tipping his head back to swallow the rest of his whiskey.
"Are you really gonna let the kid leave the house? Did you not just witness what I just saw with my own two fuckin' eyes?"
"Nicky, shush!" Nona Gimello scolded as she pointed at the bearded man, "We have to act as if everything is normal for her."
"What if she somehow decides to leave the Gallagher's and seeks revenge for herself?" Vito brought attention to another issue here, "What if this is what she wants us to think?"
"So it's true then? She's really got this personality disorder thing?" Jovanna probed, folding her arms a little tighter around her body.
Yaya Rokos nodded her head in confirmation, "Perhaps. It doesn't look as bad yet but...We have to find a way to keep it under control because it can bring out another Subarachnoid hemorrhage. So yes I'm going to let her go visit Carl. She needs to pay her respects and whatever keeps her as Korinna."
"You'll have one of your men watching over her?" Vito asked.
"Of course I will."
"What are you going to do? Just remain here with your pretty boy boyfriend?" Nicky pressed.
Yaya Rokos lifted a brow and scoffed making her accent stronger, "No. I'm going to locate the children, since you three aren't doing that well of job of it."
"You get down like that, Mrs. Cressida?" Jovanna tested.
Yaya laughed as she held her hand out for Nicky to pass her a cigarette, "Of course darling. We all have sides of us that know just when to come out and play."
Dangling a cigarette in between her lips Korinna barged into the Gallagher's home. She had been outside their home for awhile now, surveying the area around her in complete joy. She sure took her time with it, studying the pale blue color painted on their home and how the fence around it should be replaced. The sky was also foggy making the smoke she exhaled from her nostrils disappear immediately that it was like magic. The thought of that made her happy, that something as easy as smoke could disappear like that without warning. It was fascinating really. She wished she could be like smoke.
Clicking her teeth with the remaining cigarette hanging out in between her fingers, Korinna smiled like-generally smiled at the image in front of her. She even went as far as pushing her prescription glasses up into her hair as if they were sunglasses to get a better look.
"I probably shouldn't be showing you this." Carl spoke, glancing over at Korinna as they sat cross legged on his bedroom floor.
Korinna shook her head a smile still playing on her lips, "Why? It's not like I'm a drug addict or anything...this is classic Monica. Leaving her kids seven pounds of meth."
Carl paused at that beginning part of her statement. Watching as Korinna placed the small bit of the cigarette back in between her lips, her stretching forward to latch onto the plastic bag filled with the white substance. She placed it in both palms of her hands, allowing them to feel the weight and turned her head back to Carl's with wide eyes. "I know Frank weighed this shit. You can get a lot of money for just this bag alone."
"Yeah...I was going to have one of my old boys sell it for me..." Carl trailed off.
Gently placing the meth in front of the two Korinna nodded, "Smart. Definitely can't have you selling while you're in military school trying to improve your life."
"Uh huh." Carl replied watching as Korinna flew back with a sigh, laying flat on her back with her arms outstretched above her.
Carl watched as one of Korinna's hands held a tremor and went back to her lips to pull the cigarette out, jabbing it onto the rug. Her dark eyes watching his. It was kinda hard for Carl to concentrate when Korinna made herself known inside of his household. She came in singing. That's right singing, earning question marks from his siblings. This Korinna was bubbly and Korinna used to be like that all the time when they were younger or if she had a few sips of something strong. Carl wouldn't believe that Korinna had slipped back into those habits since she's recovered this long but was shocked to find a cigarette attached to her lips. Korinna even went as far as hugging each of the siblings saying that she were sorry for their lost and that her yaya had made them all a vanilla and Cocoa sponge cake, but couldn't seem to remember if she took it from the counter or not.
Now here they were up in Carl's room with Korinna laying on her back staring over at him with something in her eyes. Carl kept his focus of course on her face, noticing that she had quickly gotten rid of her crewneck sweater remaining in nothing but a cropped camisole and baggy distressed jeans. Korinna's eyes remained on Carl's as she moved to cradle her head with one of her hands, just when she bought her tongue out to lick her bottom lip Carl cleared his throat.
"Fiona was kinda pissed with us for taking the meth. I mean lately all she's given a shit about is herself, she's got herself a new car, manages patsy's...to me it looks like she's doing pretty well for herself so of course she wouldn't take it. I mean she practically raised us but she did say we were capable of making our own decisions now. The rest of us are barely making it, if I wasn't in military school right now I don't know what I would be doing so is it really bad for me to take drugs from my dead mom and invest it?" Carl vented, his eyes searching Korinna's.
Korinna rolled onto her side, her arms stretched outwards as if she were planking but her stomach touched the carpet. "No Francis it's not. Come to think of it if my mother left me anything...besides a lifetime full of fucked up memories...I'd still do something with it. In fact my dead mother taught me a lot of things: How to measure dope with just my eyes, even when I'm not wearing contacts. She taught me how to feel the vibe out of a person just by the way they pull up on the corner of the street, that was the first night she took me out with her and she left me on the street to sell her body. The most important thing she taught me was to be the strongest person not to be fucked with because with all of her abuse, I hold my own power. So as fucked up as it sounds no you shouldn't feel bad for taking the remaining piece of your mother with you. In a way she owes you."
Carl carefully disguised the words that came out of Korinna's mouth. She made it feel better, the dull pain Carl felt when the topic of his mother came up. He didn't want to talk about how he felt with Monica no longer around, he just wanted to talk about what he had left of her-if any.
"Who knew you could be so motivational?" Carl teased, watching as Korinna laughed swinging her legs behind her.
"Yeah well...let's have a toast to our dead mothers. The only thing we can thank them for is bringing us into this trash world." Korinna raised her imaginary glass making Carl grin at her energy.
Carl raised his glass as well, "Alright. Shout out to Monica and Nevaeh."
"Here. Here." Korinna winked now getting on all fours just to lean up and press an open-mouthed kiss to Carl's lips.
xxx
"When's the funeral?"
"Tomorrow at 1-I think." Carl mumbled.
Korinna hummed at that, continuing to run her fingers through Carl's luscious hair.
"You'll be there won't you?" Carl lifted his head from Korinna's chest to peer up at the bronze skinned teen.
Korinna nodded, "Duh."
Carl nodded moving his head again and closed his eyes, listening to Korinna's heartbeat. If he wanted to he could have fallen asleep right there but of course there was something bugging him. Something pinching him at the middle of one his finger's, this was his nerves telling him that something was still going on here. He rarely got this feeling unless it was a real situation and it was his gut feeling telling him that it had to do with the girl he loved.
Taking a deep breath Carl almost groaned lifting himself up from his comfortable position. He sat back against the wall on his bunk bed and stared at Korinna who kept one arm thrown across her eyes, giving him the perfect few of her neck and her...erect nipples.
'Get it the fuck together, man.' Carl thought to himself, blinking a few times before he poked Korinna's ribs.
One almond eye rolled open, waiting for him to say something.
"I've got a question Olivia."
Korinna didn't say anything, giving Carl the go to continue on with what he needed to ask.
"Is there something going on that I should know about?" Carl calmly tested.
Korinna turned on her side, rolling the covers over her backside as she did so turning to face Carl, "Like what?"
"I don't know anything before I go back on Monday?" Carl tried to hint, watching to see if Korinna's eyes shifted to the left.
Korinna smiled, "Ethan and I sext sometimes."
"That's not funny, Ren." Carl rolled his eyes.
Korinna snuggled into the pillow underneath her with her eyes closed, "I'm not sure what you want me to tell you Francis."
"Okay why don't we start with you wanting me to teach you how to shoot. The real reason. What's up with you?"
"Nothing." Korinna denied keeping her eyes closed.
Carl plopped onto his side and reached his hand outwards to grip her neck tugging on it a bit, "Look me in the eyes and say that."
Opening her tired eyes Korinna watched Carl, the blue was more prominent in his eyes today opposed to the usual summer green. "You're very demanding lately. Don't think just because they taught you something at military school that you can try and control me because it won't work."
"Nope don't do that Ren. Don't try and start an argument. I know something's up with you and I would rather hear it from the source's mouth than ask around, just be real and honest with me. It's not that hard. You want to learn how to shoot a gun but I also found something interesting...like you disappearing from rehab for a few weeks...? What the hell?" Carl exclaimed, keeping his grip on the side of Korinna's neck.
In a quiet voice Korinna declared, "I told you not to worry about me."
"Too bad. You're my girlfriend, which means that you're important to me. What you do will always involve me, whether you like it or not. I'm not only your boyfriend but your best-friend and you should be able to tell me shit! It looks like you're not running to tell your information to Debbie since she also had to hear from your roommates that you left and from the news! Come one Ren you were never a fan of guns before and now all of a sudden you are. Just tell me what's going on." Carl reasoned.
Korinna shoved Carl's hand from her neck sitting up from the bed with Carl easily following, "If I tell you anything you're just as much as a target as I am. It's surprising that Debbie didn't tell you since she already knows. Any other time she blurts my business with no problem!"
Frowning Carl watched as Korinna tightly gripped the roots of her dark hair, panting a little. Carl rested his hand on Korinna's knee watching as she took deep breaths right before he noticed blood rolling out of one of her nostrils. "Shit Ren, you're bleeding."
At that Korinna quickly re-opened her eyes as Carl pulled off a pillow case from one of his other pillows, balling the sheet up he pressed it against Korinna's nose. Korinna smiled with her eyes resting one hand against Carl's wrist, "I really think you're the one for me Carl Gallagher."
'But sadly I may not be the one for you.'
Carl smirked, "Don't think just because I'm being a good boyfriend right now doesn't mean I still don't want to know what your deal is."
With Carl's pillowcase pressed against her nostril, Korinna swallowed the rising bile in her throat boldly staring Carl in his rain-forest eyes to tell him what she knew and remembered. Not once did Carl but-in listening to the history lesson that was foretold to him in his bedroom on that Friday evening. When Korinna finished Carl was at lost for words making Korinna tease, "If I would have known this would get you to leave me alone. I would have told you awhile ago." From there Carl wanted to know what was being done about all of this and pieced it together.
"Fuck Ren if you're thinking what I think you're gonna do, then you're not leaving this house."
Korinna scowled, "You're not my dad Carl."
"Thank god for that." Carl muttered pulling the pillowcase back to see dry blood crusting at Korinna's nose. "Cause incest ain't how I roll."
Korinna kissed her teeth, "Now that you know, I got to go."
"What?" Carl quipped following after Korinna who jumped down from the bunk beds, stumbling a bit as she stood up straight.
Korinna yanked her crewneck sweater on, "Yaya's got bodyguards and shit following me to make sure nothing goes downhill like another drive-by. They never left me Carl, they've been outside the entire time. Nothing's gonna happen to me, if I made it through hell and back I can sure as shit keep going."
"You got to promise me that you're not gonna do something crazy. I'm not losin' you too." Carl imparted watching Korinna with uneasy eyes.
Korinna smiled at Carl and slapped her palms against his cheeks mushing them together, "You're cute when you're being a good boyfriend."
"Yeah whatever." Carl playfully shoved her hands from his face.
Carl yanked on Korinna's belt loop, "Promise me Ren. I'm not playing."
Korinna used one hand to grip onto the back of Carl's head, pushing his lips against her's. When they pulled away she stared at his parted lips before meeting his eyes, "I'll see you tomorrow at the funeral. I'll even be a good girlfriend and text you as soon as I make it back to the penthouse, alright?"
Carl allowed Korinna to untangle herself from his frame. He didn't bother to reply but checked his pockets for his phone and looked up too late to find Korinna gone from his room. Now with Korinna gone Carl felt a little anxious more-so than before and knew that tonight he wouldn't be getting any rest.
Making her way outside into south side's streets, Korinna stood on the sidewalks not knowing where her Yaya's personal bodyguards were and if they were lurking in the dark somewhere. Searching her pocket for another cigarette Korinna pouted when she came up short with one. Standing in the middle of the sidewalk, she lifted her head up just to be knocked into by a black hooded figure. Feeling the wind being knocked out of her Korinna's head smacked against the cement. Now laying on her side with a slightly blurry vision, she lifted her head with a glare to see the hooded figure scrambling to get to their feet.
"What the hell dude?" Korinna snapped.
The person said nothing keeping their head turned at an angle away from them. Thanks to the streetlights Korinna could see the glare of something hanging out of their pocket. By this time the hooded figure wasn't sticking around to chat as they leaped to their feet and took off into a fast sprint dropping something in the process. Korinna clenched her jaw and swallowed as she pushed herself up and cautiously made her way over to the fallen object. Laying before her appeared to be a yellow cap, covered in a red substance. Frowning Korinna kicked at it with her shoe, thinking the cap could belong to anything.
Not waiting around to find out Korinna glanced down the way the hooded figure took off in and dug into her jean pocket. Speed-walking down the sidewalk of the Gallagher household, she struggled to unlock her phone as she made a swift turn down the evening streets. Pressing her phone to her ear she didn't see any of her yaya's bodyguards and didn't have anything but a swiss knife on her that Banks gave to her. In the middle of the street Korinna spotted a lump laying in the middle of the road. Waiting for someone on the other line to pick up Korinna made her way over to the lump, pulling out the swiss knife as she did so.
Crouching down carefully she pulled on the body pulling them over to reveal a blue lipped Monte. Stumbling backwards Korinna heard Vito finally answer her grandmother's cell phone, "Sweetheart are you on your way back?"
"Hey sweetheart? Korinna? Hello? She's not answering me Nicky."
Korinna just continued sitting in the middle of the street with her phone resting face-down by her palms. She couldn't speak, couldn't feel, was Monte dead? Bile rose in Korinna's throat causing her to lurch to the side, emptying her stomach's contains before her lungs began to cry for air causing her to lay on her side. Her vision began to double as she focused in on Monte's appearance and the last thing she remembered was the color blue which had become of Monte Espinoza's skin.
A/N: Yes it is I. The girl that keeps leaving you with cliff-hangers. ONE MORE FINAL PART LEFT. I needed this to be dragged out before the real action took place. Who was the hooded figure? Any guesses? Lots of Carlinna in this chapter which is another reason why I dragged it out too, you're welcome ;) The real finale will be the last chapter of Meet in the middle :( What is your thought process while reading this intense chapter? I hope it kept you on the edge because it gave me high anxiety writing it lol.
Hope you all had a nice holiday (if you celebrated) if not I still hope you had a swell day too! So it's Monday now, let's see if this will be updated on Wednesday or Tuesday because that's the only days where I'll be able to write the next part IF my grandma comes to town -.- lol.
Let me know what you thought down in the box, eh?
-ALES