Rick's POV
"Rick? Hey Rick? Wake up I can't sleep" said a voice that made me wake up and groan. I tried to ignore it but it spoke again. "Rick?" I lifted my head up and sighed.
"What Angel?" I said annoyed. She stood at the foot of my bed clutching onto one of her plushies and seemed to cower.
"Can I sleep with you tonight?" she asked shyly. I groaned and plopped back down.
"Angel your six now. When are you gonna get over this?" I asked. She whimpered and began to sniff.
"Please? I don't wanna go back in there by myself" Angel cried. I sighed again and sat up slightly, sliding back into the bed and patting the spot next to me.
"Come on" I groaned. She offered a smile and climbed into bed with me, lifting the blankets up and getting into bed.
"Thank you. I love you" Angel said. I laid back down and turned away from her.
"You know one day you're gonna have to grow up Angel. This can't happen every night. What are you gonna do when I get a girlfriend?" I asked. Angel laughed lightly.
"What girlfriend? You mean Kate?" she asked. I sighed.
"Don't push your luck" I said. Angel scooted closer to me to where I could feel her as she grabbed my shoulder and put her muzzle right up to my ear.
"Come on. Do you really want me gone that bad?" she asked. At the time I did, I just wanted to be on my own. But now that I was standing in the center of her empty room with nothing more than a bed frame up against the wall, I wanted nothing more than to have her back. I wiped a tear from my eye as I thought of everything. This was it. The last day before the house was no longer mine or my family's.
"Rick? You okay?" Humphrey asked as he stood in the doorway. I turned to him and tried to act like nothing was wrong.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah I'm fine. Come on we can still do some things until Kate gets here" I said as I walked out of the room. Humphrey went first but I stopped at the door frame to turn around and look back into the room. It just seemed wrong seeing it so empty and devoid of any posters, furniture, clothes on the floor because Angel was too lazy to pick them up. It was just a white box with a bed frame. I sighed and turned back to follow Humphrey down the stairs.
I met him in the spare room next to the living room and looked around. There was a lot of stuff in here due to the fact that the closets in this house were extremely small and so whatever we couldn't fit ended up in this room. Wrapping paper, beach chairs, foldable tables.
"What do you want to start with?" Humphrey asked. I shrugged.
"Help me with the heavy shit first," I said.
Kates POV
I stepped out of the car and began walking up to the school. It was around twelve o'clock so it was still going. I just wanted to be in and out, and if I was lucky I wouldn't run into anyone. after I got dressed to go meet up with Rick and Humphrey I got a call asking if I was picking up the pictures that we had left at the locker. I told them I would be right there because I didn't want it lost or anything and now here I was.
I buzzed in, and it was only a left turn until I was at the office. The lady there asked if I was late but I told her I was here for the picture of Angel.
"Angel? Whose Angel?" she asked. I really didn't want to get into it. Luckily the principal stepped out because he heard my voice from down the hall.
"It's alright, she's just picking something up" he said before placing a hand on my shoulder and leading me to his office.
"Thanks" I said as we stepped in. He walked behind his desk and opened up his drawer to search for the picture.
"Of course. How have things been going?" he asked. I sighed.
"Fine, you know I've been helping Rick out but you know… things have been really hard" I explained. He found the picture and closed the drawer.
"Aw, I'm really sorry. You know when I first heard about what happened I… I'm really praying for you guys" he explained.
"I appreciate it. I'm meeting up with Rick right after this. He got evicted from his house so…" I started to explain but stopped myself.
"That poor kid. Listen, you guys take as much time off as you need. Where is he staying?" Principal Himbrey asked.
"With me… he's been close with my family for a long time so we took him in" I answered. I didn't really want to talk with him anymore so I held my hand out for the picture. "Can I…" I began.
"Oh, of course," he said, placing the photo in my hand. I looked at it as he did and felt sadness as I studied it. Principal Himbrey noticed my sudden expression change. "You know I've been here for twenty-five years. I always hate it whenever things like this happen. A lot of good kids lose their lives. It's never easy. But every time it happens… I get upset yeah, but I keep going" he explained. I looked up from the picture and just kind of stared at him. I get he was trying to say something to make me feel better, and he was telling the truth, but he wasn't hit as hard as me and Rick, so what was he talking about?
"I'm… gonna go" I said. He nodded.
"Alright. Keep staying strong Kate. you're a good person" he told me.
"Thanks" I said as I walked out. I continued my way past the front desk and over to the door. As I opened it I stopped in the frame once I came face to face with…
"Oh… hey… Kate," Garth said awkwardly. I scoffed and tried to walk past him. "Kate, wait" he called to me about halfway down the path leading to the parking lot. I stopped and sighed angrily as I turned around.
"What?" I asked. He jogged over to me so that I could hear him better.
"I… I've been meaning to talk to you" he added.
"Talk to me about what? What do you want now?" I asked. Garth's face quickly turned to one of sympathy, to one of annoyance.
"Oh come on, last time wasn't even my fault" he said.
"You threw the first punch… but what do you want? And what are you even doing here? Here… now" I asked. Garth looked around him to make sure that nobody was looking. There wasn't.
"Well… I got suspended again" he answered.
"Yeah, that kind of happens when you punch another student" I replied annoyed. What the fuck did he want?
"Look Kate I…I got cut from the football team, I'm not a part of it anymore. My dad is super pissed at me, pretty much disowned me-"
"Why should I care? What does this have to do with me?" I asked angrily now. I could care less about his sob story.
"Kate… ever since I was a little kid my dad was an asshole believe it or not. He looks at me like I'm his successor. I have to do what he says. So now that I got cut from something that I never wanted to be a part of then that's it… I thought it was gonna be horrible and believe me, it had been. My dad has been really awful to me lately. But I don't care, because now I can do what I want. I don't have to stay after school, be perfect, and I don't have to impress anybody" Garth explained.
"What?" I asked.
"Don't you see Kate? I'm free to do whatever now. I don't have to worry about those things anymore. All I ever cared about was you, and you told me a few months back that when you first saw me that you did have a crush on me. That can happen again, I can be the guy of your dreams if you just give me a chance" Garth begged.
"Wow… you are pathetic. So everything you did as an asshole was only to impress people? I don't believe that, not for one second. You harassed my family, called me a slut, almost killed Rick and now… now you come to me with this? Fuck you Garth, leave us alone. It's not gonna happen, ever" I explained angrily before turning around to walk away.
"Kate no!" Garth cracked, getting to his knees and grabbing my hand. I was jerked back and had to find my balance before turning to him once more. "Please Kate. I have nothing now, this is my last chance to have you as my own… I love you Kate, that wasn't me before. Please… I can be who you want me to be… please Kate please" Garth begged. I didn't know what to do, I just felt so disgusted. After everything this guy has done to us and now he… he comes to me with this?
"Let go!" I yelled, jerking my arm away from him. "Did you plan this out at all? No matter what you say your the same prick that did all those things and would do them again. There are so many girls out there so why me Garth. You don't even know me"
"Every time I tried talking to you… you never spoke with me just… shut me out. How am I supposed to get to know someone who doesn't talk to me? Huh?" Garth asked. As much as I hated to admit it, he had a point. My expression softened.
"You know… I don't enjoy hating people. I wish things could've been different… but after all that's happened, after everything you've done… I don't ever want to see your pathetic, self centered ass again" I explained, now with gritted teeth. Garth began to sob as he stayed on his knees.
"One chance… please just one chance. I could give you the world" he said.
"I already have what I need and then some. Hopefully one day you realize the things you did and how bad they were, and hopefully when you're older you forgive yourself. But right now… your nothing, you never were…" I said before finally… I turned and left. I heard Garth get up and begin walking over to his car as he sobbed. Once I got to my own I put one foot in the car and watched. I wanted to see if this was just a show he was putting on. But as far as I could tell, he cried the whole way until I couldn't see him anymore.
Part of me felt bad, like I was a really bad person. But what was I supposed to do? I meant what I said and all of it was true. I sat down fully and closed the door. I then put the photo on top of the passenger seat and buckled up. It wasn't long before I was on the road back to Rick's place, for the last day until we wouldn't see it again.
Rick's POV
"Rick? Rick? Rick" I heard Angel say. I lifted my head up and sighed.
"No," I said.
"But-"
"No Angel no… I want to sleep on my own. You can't just keep sleeping in here" I explained. Again I heard her start to sniffle which began to make me feel bad. But I couldn't give in this time. I had to show her how it was to be on her own. One day she was gonna grow up and have to deal with things. Best start teaching her now. One small whimper later though and I came up with something.
"Come on Angel" I said, sliding out of bed. I turned the light on to wake myself up a bit and walked over to the doorway. I turned to see her still standing by my bedside. "Come on" I urged. She began to follow me as I walked into her room. Once inside I flicked the light on and leaned against the wall. "Where are they?" I asked.
"Outside, I don't like it" Angel whimpered. I walked over to the window and took a peek. Nothing but our driveway and the road that it lead to with the occasional car passing by.
"There's nothing out here Angel. It's all in your imagination" I said. I nudged my head over to her bed and slowly she climbed into it, pulling the covers over her. She seemed sad and scared about the situation, but I couldn't do it anymore. She just took up the whole darn bed. "Alright… goodnight" I said, flicking the lights off.
"Rick… you okay?" Humphrey asked, snapping me out of my own memories.
"Huh? Oh yeah. Alright. One, two, three" I counted before we lifted one of our old tables to somehow stuff it in the back of Humphrey's car. It was our old TV stand which weighed a fuckton from the feel of it. "Why do you want this thing anyway?" I asked.
"I don't, that's all my mom" Humphrey answered as we struggled to get it inside. We managed to get it on Humphrey's back seat and then slowly pushed it in. shockingly it actually fit.
"I'm not following you home to help you take that out" I panted as I shook my hand, trying to get the feeling of weightlessness out of my arm.
"Its fine, mom should be the one to help with it anyway" Humphrey replied just as Kate's car pulled into the driveway. I felt an urge of joy as my tail began to wag. She stepped out and began walking over to us after turning the engine off. I met her half way, hugging her and giving her a wet kiss.
"What took ya?" I asked.
"Had to stop by the school for a minute. Hope I didn't miss much" Kate said, holding me close. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I just…" I began but thankfully Kate was there now to comfort me. She brushed the side of my face, relaxing me.
"I know it must be hard, you won't have to see this place after this" Kate said. I sighed.
"I know, that's the problem" I replied.
"Hey guys! Are you gonna help me or keep humping each other?" Humphrey called to us. Me and Kate both laughed lightly as we leaned in and placed our heads together. Just like old times. My eyes closed as the wind blew around us, setting up some type of scene.
"Speaking of humping. Did you get what we needed?" Kate asked. I laughed again.
"Yeah" I answered. I took my forehead off of hers to give hers a light kiss, cupping her cheeks with my hands to bring her in. she closed her beautiful eyes and smiled as she accepted it. I then turned to walk away but Kate called to me.
"Hey Rick?" she called. I stopped, turning around. Humphrey must have gone back inside because I no longer saw him.
"I'm sorry, you're going through a tough time right now and… all I can think about is sex… we don't have to do it if you don't want to" Kate said. I nodded.
"We'll see how I feel tonight," I told her.
"I love you," Kate replied.
"Love you too" I smiled. Kate held out her hand to me.
"More than I'll ever know," she added. It warmed my heart that she still remembered what I said that night. I more than meant it, and our necklaces proved that. I took her hand and together we walked back inside the house.
Shaky's POV
Ever since I left Humphrey's house that day I hadn't left my bed. The only person I had been talking to was Lilly. I would have talked with Rick but he probably felt worse than I did, and I was really bad. Every second was a constant heartache, and a reminder that the love of my life was no longer here. I spent the whole day simply tossing and turning in my bed, tears rolling down my face slowly. Often I found myself sniffing at the pillow as I could still catch her scent. I missed her… I love her… why did she have to go?
We had so many things to do. We wanted a family, a life… it was never gonna happen. She was gone and my future was more than uncertain. I still had the others but… with no official connection, and no reason to stay in their lives anymore I felt even worse. I felt alone. More alone than ever.
My phone began ringing so I turned over once more, hoping that it was Lilly. We had only actually spoken once. The rest was through text messages. When I looked at the phone however, I saw a random number. I didn't recognize it. I pressed answer and put it on speaker.
"Hello?" I said in a really worn voice.
"Hello? Shaky? Is this you?" I heard a familiar voice ask.
"It is, who is it?" I asked back.
"It's Stephanie. I wanted to talk with you" she answered. I scoffed.
"I heard you were back. What do you want Stephanie?" I asked, getting to the point.
"I… I just wanted to say sorry and explain why I've been gone. Did I call at a bad time?" Stephanie asked.
"Kind of. I want to be left alone right now. I don't know why you decided to come back but now is probably the worst time to do it. Even if it wasn't you left us with no explanation. You left us heartbroken and betrayed when only one of us wronged you. And now you're coming back, and not only are you doing that but you're trying to replace Angel? She'll never be replaced, and never by the likes of you!" I yelled in pure anger.
"What? Shaky I would never think-"
"Fuck you Stephanie, go back to where you were" I said before hanging up. I grunted as I turned over again. That fucking bitch has some real nerve. Even if by some miracle she had a good excuse, it wasn't enough for her to replace Angel… the sweetest… kindest…
I broke down again.
Rick's POV
I lay in my bed, trying to go to sleep. After turning out the light and diving back in it felt great. I would be out in seconds. Although ten minutes later I just couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. I tossed and turned but everything I tried I just couldn't get back to sleep. I tried figuring it out but had nothing. Was I thirsty? No. Did I have to pee? No. it was probably Angel making me get up to move around… Angel.
I felt guilty as I sat up with my newly found realization. Was I really feeling bad about her? No, she needs to stay in her room and go to sleep… but she was scared all by herself and… I slid out of bed again and walked out of my room. Once I got to Angel's I couldn't see her, but I could hear her. Sobbing as she hid under the blankets. I turned back to the window and noticed another car passing by. Its headlights shined into the room for a second, casting off some of the hooks on the wall, and for just a second it made what looked like a claw.
I sighed and flicked on the light, walking over to the bed which had a lump of blankets on it.
"Angel…" I said. The blankets stopped shaking a little and out from the lump I saw her cute little head poke out. "Angel, they're just shadows," I said.
"I… I don't care, I just want my brother…" she sobbed. I felt guilty again and sighed. Was this really about me or the monsters? Or maybe a bit of both? I didn't know, but either way I felt bad for what I did, and it was my job to make it up. I walked over and sat down on the bed next to Angel. She sat sniffing, trying to stop the oncoming tears. They kept flowing though so I reached over and pulled her into a hug. She hugged me back and kept crying.
"Shh, you're gonna wake up mom and dad" I said. She tried to calm herself but couldn't. I broke the hug and looked at her. She began to wipe her eyes with her hands, trying to get every last tear but it was no use. They just kept coming. "Look… I'm sorry. You can sleep with me whenever you want, okay? I love you" I said. Angel kept on sobbing, but through it a smile began to form.
"I love you t-to" she said. I smiled back at her.
"Come on, let's get to bed. We have school tomorrow" I replied, nudging my head over to my room. Angel giggled and she lifted the blankets off of her and together we went to my room. I fell asleep almost instantly that night.
"Are you thinking about us in here?" Kate asked me as I looked at what used to be my room. Now it looked as blank as the others.
"No… I was thinking of Angel" I said. I wiped a tear from my eye as I began to sob.
"Rick…" Kate said softly as sort of a there there type of thing.
"I was thinking about when we were kids… I… I… I want her back" I cried as I walked into the room completely now. "I don't wanna leave my home, I don't wanna say goodbye to my family, and I don't wanna leave" I cried. Kate stood there with sadness in her eyes. I could tell that she felt bad for me but I didn't want pity. I wanted Angel, I wanted my mom, I wanted my dad, I wanted my family and home. Kate walked over to me and put her hands to my face as she held it, her fingertips just barely touching me.
"Rick… you have to move on" Kate said. She looked into my eyes as they continued to bleed out tears. Even after all this time I kept lying to myself but I couldn't do it, I just wanted them back.
"I'm still here," Kate added. A realization hit me, and it hit hard. I continued to look into her eyes as I thought. All this time… Angel has been gone, my family, everything… except Kate… after everything Kate was still here… I've now witnessed just how much she cares for me. Anybody could have or would have given up on me, especially after everything that was said and done but Kate… after all the bullshit, and sadness, and heartbreak over this last week… she was still here… it felt as though we had this conversation already but now that we were actually here… it was different.
"Rick?" Kate said as she held onto me fully now.
"Kate… no one has taken care of me like you have… if it were anyone else they would have left… but you stayed with me, helped me through this even now… you really are the best partner I could have asked for…" I explained as I remembered the promise I made to her. That I would let go eventually and today was the day. At first I said it wanted to come through but wasn't sure that I could. But now… even without Angel this was the next chapter of my life. And Angel would want me to live that life.
"Rick… I'm not leaving your side" Kate said. Again she brushed her hand against my face as a tear rolled down it. I nodded.
"I'm ready," I said. Kate's eyes lit up as she felt surprised.
"To move on?" Kate asked.
"I think so… but… I also…" I didn't finish my sentence.
"It's about Angel… isn't it?" Kate asked. My eyes looked up to hers again as I noticed they drifted off. "You'll have to accept that she's gone eventually," she added. I felt my lip quiver before I hugged Kate and began crying again. She was right.
"Shaky and I were talking about having kids, you know," Angel said as we looked out into the ocean. It had been daylight as we walked the boardwalk and stopped for a breather. Finally after all the nagging I had decided to take her out to do something just us two, and even though the night at the pier happened it had been a few weeks after.
"You? You're gonna have kids?" I asked surprised as I looked back at her and continued leaning on the railing.
"Yeah why do you sound so surprised?" Angel asked. I shrugged.
"You just aren't the kid type" I answered. Angel acted as if she were offended and playfully hit my arm.
"You dick" she said. I laughed and looked out into the ocean again. "So… what about you and Kate? Do you two plan on having kids?"
"No… we haven't even been together for that long. Plus we're so young, we just want to enjoy each other before we have to share each other" I explained. Now Angel leaned on the railing and looked over to me. I looked back at her.
"That's exactly it. You guys have so much love to share so… why not share it?" she asked. Again I shrugged.
"Because I wouldn't make a good dad" I answered.
"What? You would be a great dad" Angel exclaimed. I shook my head.
"No… no I wouldn't" I said.
"Yeah… yeah you would be" Angel mocked. I laughed.
"How would you know?" I asked. Angel smiled and tilted her head a bit.
"Because… you've always taken care of me" Angel said. Again I laughed.
"No I haven't" I said.
"Yeah you have… ever since we were little… don't you remember the monsters?" Angel asked, making me remember not too long ago when we were laying in her bed and I had forgotten about them. My smile faded as I gave her a look that said yes. "Take that for an example… every time it was lights out I would see the shadows on the walls and you would explain it to me. Even then you still let me sleep in your room… made me feel safe… and loved… that's how I know you're gonna be a great father. Because you were always a great big brother" she explained with a sweet smile.
I remembered what Angel said to me as me and Kate left the house for the final time. I just kept on thinking of the future and how it would be different. We said our goodbyes and thank you's to Humphrey and stepped into my truck.
"Meet you at home?" Kate asked before I shut my door. I sighed.
"I… I have something to do before I go back" I said. Kate grew concerned as she cocked her head in confusion.
"What?" she asked curiously.
"I… I was gonna go to the cemetery" I answered. I looked away as I spoke to her and then looked up to view her reaction. She seemed sympathetic again.
"I'll come with you," she said. I gave her a nod.
"Thanks" I said. It wasn't a long ride but it was one that I dreaded reaching the end of. Once we entered I began driving slowly along the gravel path until I had reached my spot. I gripped the steering wheel tightly as I exhaled shakily. I then stepped out and braced myself. Just as I stepped out Kate pulled up. I walked over to her car just as she got out.
"Listen… I really appreciate that you came out here with me but… I just need a moment… alone" I said. Kate nodded.
"Okay… I'll be right here" she said. I gave her one more hug. She hugged me back and then I let go of her, turning around to find the right row of graves. Once I found it I began walking through it. The wind blew on me, making the beautiful sound of the leaves in the trees getting blown as the warm spring temperature hit me. Of course the trees were outside the cemetery but still, I could hear them. I kept walking until I reached the three gravestones. I kneeled in front of Angels and tried to hold it in but couldn't… this was gonna be hard.
"At first… I didn't know what to think or how to handle it… every year there's always that one kid in the school that dies in a car accident… I just never in a million years would guess that it would be you Angel… I miss you… I miss all of you… and if that necklace really does work then you're with me all the time, but still I wanted to come and see you… let you know that… I'm trying to do better… I'm trying to move past everything… but I think… I've finally found a way to accept your death… it actually wasn't me it was Kate it… Kate misses you… I miss you… Shaky… we all miss you… I wish it would have been different… I wish I could have told you goodbye… I wish I could be with you… I just hope that your safe… and happy… and with mom and dad, and that one day… you, me, Kate… we'll all be together again some day… and when that day comes will we finally be whole… so I can accept what's happened, but there's always gonna be a part of me that's missing until I see you again… and if what Kate says is right then it will happen... it will... one day it will..." I explained before beginning to sob heavily again. I was just thinking of all the times we had, and all the new memories that would never be made. As I cried I felt a hand on my shoulder to calm me. I tried to calm myself as I spoke, stopping the well of tears as it poured.
"Thanks Kate… if not for you I don't know where I would be right now… but you're right… it's time you and I move on… Angel would want me to move on… I'm just gonna miss her so much… if only I got to do this when she was alive so I knew how much I loved her… I hope wherever she is she knows…" I explained. Kate didn't respond, she just kept her hand on my shoulder. "Kate?" I said as I looked to my left. To my surprise though Kate wasn't there… no one was… and now there was no hand on my shoulder. I stood up, looking around. Kate was still at the car, leaning against it as she waited for me. I turned back to Angel's gravestone and all of a sudden it made sense…
"Goodbye Angel… I love you" I said. Finally I walked away and after a couple seconds of walking met Kate by her car. As she heard my footsteps she looked up from the ground and over to me.
"Hey… are you okay?" she asked. It took a second but I nodded.
"Yeah… I think I'm gonna be fine" I said. Kate nodded before I climbed into my truck and started it up again. Kate then followed me out of the cemetery, got back on the main road and started our way back home.
Author's note - this arc was tough. The hardest one I had to write but from the very beginning I knew that Angel was gonna die eventually. I just can't believe that we're finally here. She really was one of my favorites and if not for her believe it or not this story actually wouldn't exist. I wanted her to be the kind, sweet, and lovable asshole of the group and I think she was just that. In terms of helping out though a factor in this arc was the far cry 5 soundtrack. Seriously, that was a huge motivator for this arc. Specifically the reinterpretation of we will rise again. I feel it fits in perfectly. Seriously if you liked this arc listen to it.
Really it was the whole arc but this chapter specifically was all about saying goodbye to Angel, and the impact that she left on Rick and his possible future. It was a long time coming and I'll miss her, but in the end I planned it and now here we are.
One last thing. I've been having a lot of difficulties in my life lately and I need some time to straighten things out. So I'm going to post one more chapter after this before I leave to not only start the next arc but leave you guys with something to look forward to when I get back. I'll give myself at most a month and if somehow my life isn't together by then I will come back anyway. So one month is the deadline.
Overall I just wanted to thank everyone for the continued support on this story and hopefully you guys have been enjoying the ride. Also… CHAPTER 100! Next chapter has to be big so again something to look forward to. See You soon…