Out of the Storm

by Jillian Elizabeth

  He steps back away from me as the room falls silent and a few guys behind start cocking their guns.

  “Samson, what the fuck are you doing? We needed Rowenski to bury shit for us with the police!” Trent screams from across the room.

  Sam goes to speak and the whole room is engulfed in pure chaos. The door is busted down and windows busted as the SWAT team swarms the room and just starts taking men to the floor.

  I run toward Andrea as the rest of the guys are taken care of. She's the most important for me to take care of, fuck the rest of them.

  “Someone call a medic!” I yell over all the yelling.

  Trent chooses then to be stupid. He produces a gun of his own and walks up to Andrea at the bed. He points it at her head.

  “No need, just say goodbye, Starfish,” he says as he pulls the safety back.

  A shot is fired and I yell out…“Noooooo!”

  I look to Andrea and it isn't her who's shot. Trent drops to the floor, a hole right in his forehead. I look up to see Sam standing there with his gun. He just saved her life. That split-second decision could have cost me my whole world.

  “You would have never forgiven yourself down the road if it was you who took him out Avery, trust me,” Sam says as he pulls his badge from his pocket and holds it up so everyone there is clear he's one of us.

  I untie Andrea from the bed and gather her in my arms. Her head lulls a little but her eyes are slightly open. “Starfish, can you hear me? I'm getting you out of here, baby,” I tell her as my voice chokes.

  The adrenaline that had kicked in has worn down and the reality of the complete situation comes crashing down on me. I push my face into Andrea’s dark locks and just let go, rocking her in my arms so thankful she's still with me.

  “Carter,” Scott yells over by the door.

  I look up to him just as an EMT crew comes in with a stretcher and heads over toward the bed.

  Around the room men are being detained and the other girls are being walked out by EMS. Two casualties here, and they weren't the good guys.

  Ed Rowenski got off easy for the crooked shit, I would say. They would have made him a fine dick slip in the pen, he would have eventually killed himself.

  Trent Zito is gone. He's done, and won't ever hurt my girl again. Her fear for him will be gone. I let them take Andrea from my arms so she can be looked over and taken to the ambulance. I follow as they start to pull the cot out, watching over her.

  “Carter, you're going to have to answer some questions about what went down in there,” Scott says as I'm climbing in the back of the ambulance with Andrea.

  “It's gonna have to wait. I'm going to the hospital with her. I'm not letting her out of my sight. And my friends are having babies at the moment. I'd say I'm tied up for a bit,” I say on a salute to him.

  He just laughs and shakes his head, flipping me off.

  “I got it, Carter, you go ahead,” Sam yells as he steps up. “I've got reports to write, and I was there the whole time. Go ahead. I'll check up with you later,” he says knocking on the ambulance door and walking away.

  I turn back to Andrea and grab her hand just as the doors are pushed shut and we're heading off to the hospital.

  “What hospital are we going to?” I yell over the tone siren.

  “Oakhill,” the passenger says.

  Perfect.

  Chapter 18

  Carter

  As we pull into Emergency, it's a flutter of action. Thankfully they've got an IV drip running through Andrea. The medic, Paul I think he said his name was, thinks that it was GHB she was drugged with. A date rape drug. I pray that's all it was. They will most likely run a blood test to see what she was given and how to treat it.

  She's slowly started to come around on the ride here, she looked at me but still looked very sleepy. She squeezed my hand when I kissed our joined hands and told her she was safe and going to be okay. I assured her I was here and apologized over and over again for not being there yet again when she was at the hands of Trent Zito.

  Around forty-five minutes later, they have Andrea admitted and on a continuous drip to keep her hydrated and flushing the GHB from her system. They are waiting for her to wake and consent to a rape kit just to make sure she wasn't violated in any other way. She's been sleepy and confused, but slowly coming back to me.

  As I'm sitting here with my sleeping beauty, I reach for my phone in my pants and call Nick. We are secure here but I'm not leaving this room and taking any chances.

  “Tell me you have her please,” Nick says as an answer.

  “We are here at Oakhill. We have babies yet?”

  “Thank Christ! Is she okay? What happened? The twins came screaming into the world two hours ago. They are perfect Carter, I can't wait for you to see them,” he says with an awe of pure love in his voice.

  “We’re on the 4th floor and she's resting and getting the clear. I don't want to come see them without her, I hope you understand, brother. How's mama doing?”

  “I understand, completely. Give her a kiss from us please. Chantal is a fucking champ man, she went round after round of contractions and pushing. Labor wasn't too long but she pushed for over an hour. Watching my girls come into this world was nothing short of a miracle. It's something I won't soon forget.”

  “What names did you settle on? Please tell me those girls have names by now,” I say knowing I'm busting his balls.

  “Yes they do. Alexandra Hope was 5 lbs. 2 oz. and Abigail Mae was a little smaller at 4 lbs. 7 oz.

  Both girls are 18 inches long. They are little itty, bitty things and both have a head full of dark hair. They are just beautiful, so perfect. I made sure they have all their fingers and toes. Chantal doesn't want to rest yet, she just wants to hold them. They are content in mama’s arms at the moment.”

  “Congratulations, man. Seriously. I know you're a proud papa and you most definitely should be. We will be coming in to see you all after Andrea is given the clear out of here. The doctors said as soon as she's alert enough with no signs of the GHB in her system. They just want to monitor her a little and she should be good to go. All they detected was the GHB and she wasn't with them long enough to ever be fully conscious.”

  “Small favors, buddy. I have a feeling she'll recover a lot easier without having to remember what she endured.”

  Letting out a deep sigh with his words, I know he's right. This could have been so much worse.

  The fact she wasn't alert won't give her the same nightmares I'll have at seeing her in that state. Of those men ready to violate her for some fucking money. Fucking pieces of shit. Who preys this way on innocent girls and women and gets off on it? I'll never understand why people are the way they are. But then, I wouldn't be needed in my line of work if everyone was a Mary Sunshine.

  **********

  I stayed by her side in a chair holding vigil through the night. A few nurses came in to check on her and to check her vitals and her IV to make sure she stayed on constant fluids. I got small sad smiles, the appreciative glances from some.

  I'm just glad her family doesn't know what has gone on, they may never trust her to be safe again. But she is, Trent Zito is no longer a threat to her life in any way. The bastard finally got what I've wanted him to have for years. Justice is served in my opinion for both Andrea and Jacob.

  She's awake now and asking questions. I know she wants to know what went on but I don't have it in me to let her know just yet. She said she remembered some things including the talking around her, but she had no body control even when her brain seemed to be thinking right. She winces here and there as she talks. I'd imagine she has what's equivalent to a killer hangover. I'm just thankful that she only was drugged enough and not a bit more.

  I've spoken to Nick and to Chantal briefly. They were busy with family in and out visiting today. I have their room number and floor so I can whisk Andrea up there to see our new goddaughters as soon as she's discharged. She asked me about Chantal and was so worried.
She was upset that she wasn't there like she was supposed to be.

  I assured her that they were worried for her and aren't at all upset that she wasn't with them in this; it wasn't in her control and they know she would have been if she could have been. She joked that Chantal will have plenty more babies that she can share a special part in the birth of.

  Chantal was telling me over the phone earlier about all the colorful names she came up with for Nick during labor.

  I told Andrea and we had a good laugh.

  **********

  It's now almost 2:00 p.m. the next day and Andrea is waiting to be discharged. They said she's good to go, but to take it easy for a few days. She consented to the rape kit and insisted I stay by her side through it all. Thankfully it came back clear, and other than them undressing her and tying her up, she wasn't violated in any way sexually. As Nick would say, small favors.

  Scott came by this morning with Sam. They brought Andrea’s purse that was left at the scene when we left. Sam took care of all the questioning and wrote his report of all the names and things that went on while he was deep undercover, embedded with the enemy. We now have a little bit of a better understanding of how deep things went and all those fuckers are getting what they deserve.

  I told them both how much I appreciated everything they did to help me get to Andrea and keep her safe. Of course to them it was their job, but to me it runs so much deeper than that. The sure shots alone from Sam saved both mine and Andrea's life when Zito was sure to end it to save his own.

  If he hadn't been there, is all I keep thinking.

  Andrea thinks it would be a good idea for me to see Alicia and talk to her. She thinks it will help me through my own traumatic situation. While I've been in this field a long time and have seen some pretty messed up shit, it's gotten personal a few times. I don't know that I ever let myself get fully over Shannon’s death, plus now with what’s happened to Andrea, I think she's right. It couldn't hurt, and I'm man enough to be able to talk to someone and admit that this has been a burden to bear for a lot of years.

  Sam saved me from killing Trent, and I think it would have been something I had a hard time with if I had done it. It would have been self-defense, but a hard pill to swallow because it was personal.

  Amy also came by this morning. She feels partially responsible for her brother's actions because they never really saw it for what it was and defended him. He was sick and used his well-bred family in any way he saw fit for vile and evil things. While she's upset with her brother’s death, she understands there was no other way any of us would have walked away.

  I've checked in with Holly. They are here and Bobbie is going to recover. Hunter is pretty bad and may not make it, he's fighting for his life and was badly injured.

  We still aren't sure about the accident that caused the mass casualties on I-94, but it's definitely not being brushed under the rug. I still have a lot of investigations to wade through and bring it all to a close, but I'm hopeful now. A weight has definitely been lifted.

  Chapter 19

  Andrea

  Walking into Chantal’s room, I see her sitting on the bed in cute little pink pajamas, Nick on the side of the bed and both the babies laying in her lap. Her legs are crossed and she has a baby on each side. It's clear the love they already have for them just looking at the scene before me. They are every bit the proud parents.

  “Hey,” Chantal says looking up, sensing Carter and me in the doorway.

  “Hey, Mama and Daddy. I was just admiring this picture-perfect family right here,” I say holding Carter’s hand and stepping closer to the bed.

  I reach down and give Chantal a hug. She squeezes me and whispers to me that she loves me and is glad I am here. I just pull back and nod. I don't want to damper this any more than it's already been. I should have been here.

  Carter's giving Nick a man hug with a big back clap, and the two share their own conversation between their eyes. I get it, Carter and I are bonded close enough to do that as well. I'll just never get over seeing the two of them sharing the same bond.

  Nick comes around the bed to hug me next. He gives me such a brotherly squeeze pouring in everything. He's glad I'm okay, and that I'm here in this moment. One day I'll let myself think about yesterday, but not today. It's time to celebrate.

  Stepping closer I look down to get a good look at the two dark haired beautiful babies.

  “Auntie Andrea and Uncle Carter, meet Alexandra and Abigail,” Chantal says picking one up and cradling her in her arms. “This is Alex, she's a little bigger than her sister and she's clearly the boss. Little Abigail here,” she says looking down to the baby Nick is now lifting into his arms, “is the quiet laid back one. If she fussed her sister is quick to fuss and she quiets. It's pretty funny actually. We've watched them do it multiple times now.”

  “They look a lot alike, but I can see the clear differences in them,” I say looking at each of the girls.

  “Abigail most definitely favors Nick,” I hear Carter say stepping up behind me to hold me around the waist as he looks down to each of our friends.

  Chantal nods. “In more ways than just looks,” she says on a small laugh.

  “How are you feeling, mama?” I ask her.

  “I'm definitely feeling better today after taking a shower. Who knew it could feel so glorious for one such small thing after giving birth,” she says as she settles back into the pillows propping her back.

  “You look great, you're still glowing,” I tell her kissing her cheek.

  “You've done good kid,” Carter says ruffling her hair. He's always teasing her like a big brother. It's cute actually. She readily accepts it.

  “Yeah, yeah pain in the ass. Thank you,” she says playfully swatting his hand away.

  “You guys want to hold them? We need a picture of them with you for their baby books,” Nick says as he comes closer with Abigail in his arms.

  I don't hesitate to reach out and grab the sweet girl in my waiting arms. I haven't let myself hold a baby since I lost Jacob. But holding her in my arms isn't painful, it's a beautiful feeling as she snuggles and settles against me.

  “You're a natural,” Chantal says, her voice cracking a little from the emotions.

  I just look to her and smile. It does feel so natural.

  Chantal places Alexandra in Carter's arms and we both look to each other. I see our future stretched before us in this moment and I can't help the face splitting grin that crosses my face. Nick comes around the bed with his phone in hand turning the camera on.

  “Let's get a picture of the girls with their godparents,” he says as he holds it up to aim at us.

  “Say cheese,” Chantal adds in.

  “Cheese,” we both say in unison as we smile for the camera.

  This day will forever be marked in our lives. A good day to always remember and share.

  **********

  Returning our lives back to normal over the next couple of months has been much easier. I'm feeling good and a little relieved not feeling like I have to look over my shoulder. I never wanted Trent to be dead, but not having him looming over my life any longer is a great feeling. I am safe and I feel it.

  I've gone back to work, and we are planning our wedding without any hiccups. Our parents, of course, know all that happened and were concerned for us, but now see we are truly okay and better than ever before. Carter and I have definitely gotten closer and spend more time together.

  Holly has been by to hang out more, so much happened in her life over the course of the past few months. Bobbie was released from the hospital and is home with her. Their nightmare wasn't over just yet though. Blake, Ed’s son and the former boyfriend to their daughter, broke into their house intending to kill them both. Thankfully Nick and Carter hadn't let the investigation go with Bobbie and were there when it all happened. Holly was shot and hospitalized for a few weeks. Blake was shot dead at the time he shot Holly and is no longer a threat to their family.

&nbs
p; It was then they discovered that Holly was pregnant. She and the baby are perfectly fine, and she and Bobbie have been in a really good place with their marriage. I'm so glad to see they both have each other back again. It was clear the hurt they were both suffering.

  Carter and Bobbie have made amends and actually hang out quite a bit when Holly and I do.

  Hunter is recovering still, and in good spirits. I don't know that Bobbie would have survived the loss if his friend hadn't pulled through. They are every bit as close as Nick and Carter are. The way Bobbie talks about him, they are brothers in every sense of the word.

  We had a small baby shower for Chantal and Nick since the twins decided to make their arrival a little earlier than expected and we didn’t have one before they were born. They've been spoiled rotten and I see them whenever I can.