"Bell, this is your last chance to back out. I'll understand if you want to leave." Clarke says; her watery, blue eyes sparkling with fear.
I look away from her and glance at my jacket that's lying on the edge of the bed. Since she told me that she's pregnant I haven't been able to think clearly except that I won't let her be alone. It hits me now how easy it would be to grab my jacket and run. I could be to O, Raven, and Wick by the end of the day. I could be free of Nyko. I could be free of this town. I look back to Clarke and down to her belly where our son is growing inside her. That cements my plan. I will go back with her, but unlike what she thinks we will get out.
"I'm in this to the end princess." I grab her hand and give it a tight squeeze. "You won't be alone."
"Okay. Then take us to my place. Do you remember where it is?" Underneath the fear I can see a slight smile of gratitude. It's like she really thought I would leave her. She looks down to try and hide the pain that streaks across her face.
"I remember everything about you." I use my finger to lift her chin so our eyes meet. "And Princess?"
"Yes?" She asks in a shaky voice.
"I need to know that you believe me when I say that I will never leave you alone. I am going to be here for you. You are the only reason I am here. If not for you I would be gone without a trace. I love you." I say while looking straight into her eyes. She blinks and tears start to fall from her eyes. She pulls away from me and stands next to my bike, silently waiting for me to join her.
"We better hurry." She says finally after realizing that I'm not going to go anywhere until she speaks.
"Clarke…" I groan. I know that she heard me.
"Bell, please just let us get this part over with. Please." Her pleading makes my heart shatter. I throw my leg over my bike and wait for her to get on before shooting off towards her house.
I zoom past my neighborhood noting the emptiness I already feel towards it because I know that the people I love are either gone or with me already. I smile when I pass the place on the sidewalk where I made out with Clarke. Back then all I cared about was being close to her; the feel of her sliding down to touch the ground; the sound of her laughter. I wish we could go back to that day. I would grab her and O and we would have made a run for it. None of this would have happened.
"Home sweet home." I say in a bitter voice as I pull my motorcycle into Clarke's driveway.
"It won't take long." She hops off and I follow suit. I follow close behind her up to the door. It hits me that I'm entirely too nervous and it has nothing to do with meeting the wife of a mob boss. I'm nervous about meeting the mom of my pregnant girlfriend for the second time. I grab her hand more for my comfort than for hers but thankfully she grips mine as tight as I'd like to hold hers.
"Hello Mr. Blake. I understand we actually have met before we moved here. And how is your mother?" Abigail says as she pulls the door open as if she has been just waiting for us to get here to say that.
"She's dead." I match her dark tone. "How is your husband; still in prison?"
She lets out a laugh that causes a chill to run up my spine. "One of us has to be. It's better him than me I think."
"I disagree." I walk past her into the house and see a bunch of moving boxes. I see Clarke's handwriting on them. I turn to her. "Where are you moving to?"
"We're moving to the city. We'll drive my car. It's big enough to fit everything. I just need help loading it up."
"Clarke, dear, why don't you go rest? You look tired. When the car's loaded up I'll wake you." Abigail brushes the hair away from Clarke's face in a motherly way. It almost looks sincere even.
"No Mom. I'm fine. I just want to get this over with. I can rest when we get to the city." She steps away from her mom and grabs a box.
"Should you be lifting that?" I ask, but take it back when I see the glare on Clarke's face.
I grab a couple of boxes and follow her out to the SUV sitting in the driveway. She opens the hatchback. Setting the boxes down on the ground I climb in to lay down the back seats so there will be more room for boxes. I then hop out to fill the car. We fill it in a silence that isn't quite comfortable. When I finally slam the hatchback closed it's starting to get dark.
"We can stop by your place before we head out. I'm sure you have things you want to bring. I put a couple empty boxes in the back for you." Clarke says after saying goodbye to her mother.
"Thanks. Are you okay driving? I don't want to leave my bike here." I motion to it sitting in the driveway.
"Yes, I'm fine. We can come back to get it soon." She says knowing how important my motorcycle is to me.
"It's fine. I'll have someone bring it down for me." I say not telling her that I've already texted Lincoln asking as much.
I follow her to my house and make quick work of packing. There isn't much that I have to take with us. I throw all of my clothes and shoes into two boxes. I sent most of the things that have value to me with O. I grab the one picture that we left for me. It's of O and me before our mom died. We didn't know someone was taking a picture. We were laughing and throwing water on each other. It is the reason I am doing this; so we can be free and happy like that again. I imagine Clarke there with us and I know for sure that I will do whatever it takes to get her out.
"Ready?" Clarke asks while rubbing her hand on my back.
"Yes. Let's go." I shut the door and walk to her car without a look back. I know that I will never see this house again and I don't want my last look at it to be of a cold, dark house.
A/N Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long. I've been sick and working a lot, never a good combination. haha