Chapter 52

After Mark was finished with pouring the gasoline, I'm not really sure what happened. Because I didn't go up in flames like I figured would happen. I was moving in and out of consciousness at that point and nothing was happening. I was actually kind of thankful that I was out of it a little; I didn't want to wait to die, to be tortured and burned. I wouldn't want to think about how horrible it would feel. Instead, as I was hanging there, something else occupied my brain. My mind was lost with flashes of Luke as he came into my head, his voice, his smell, his taste that I felt earlier just this night. I hope he will be okay. That's all I could think. I wanted him to be safe, to be happy, to be free.

I wasn't sure how long I was like that in that in and out state. I waited to die and at the same time, I couldn't think about it because it was as if I refused to. With all the blood that was dripping down, the gasoline, I felt my tears slowly come and drip down too. I didn't start sobbing my heart out no matter how much I wanted to; I didn't have the strength to. Plus, my mind was everywhere, and I wasn't in a conscious enough state to know what to sob for. I was in the middle it felt like.

Then, a distorted noise came to me. A loud ringing, a shout. I felt my heavy eyelids fight to open and when they did, they reached the sight of the cement I was dangling in front of. On it, after my vision cleared up a bit, I saw the reflections of lights in the gasoline. Red and blue flashing lights and I couldn't comprehend what it was at first. I didn't really care. That was until a voice met my ears, close and clear and gentle.

"Albany," he said lightly, his voice seeming just as torn up as my body was. It was so beautiful. I slowly opened my eyes again and tried to clear my vision even more. I saw him there and I thought I was in heaven despite the expectation to go to hell. He was looking up at me from the windshield that was smashed in. His body laying down on the ground so he could look inside and see me, I noticed he was half way through where the windshield once was and the outside cement. His neck was craned to look up at me - though I knew it was too dark for him to fully take me in. His eyes were gentle and full of hurt, his face broken when he took in what he could of me.

I watched, seemingly only half present, him move in more and he somehow got rid of the air bag; my vision was in and out and some parts were too blurry to understand. But I now could see he was able to see me that much better. I could only imagine how I looked.

I wasn't sure if I was alive or not. I didn't really care to be honest because he was here with me. My mind was in two places at once and the one place that held the common sense wanted to move my lips and words in warning when I saw him take in the surroundings. I needed to tell him.... He needed to leave, to get out of here while he could. I didn't want him dying here with me. Because I had a feeling that would happen if he doesn't leave now.

"Did you... did you get him...?" I breathed, forcing it through my lips. I think I already knew the answer considering I guess I didn't go up in flames.

"No, not yet sweetie," he said carefully as I watched him maneuver his way back out slightly. I watched as he carefully sat up when he was out, on the cement in front of the smashed truck roof. The next thing I knew, he stretched his legs before him and carefully, slowly, inched his way inside the upside down truck. I silently watched him, curious and amazed at the same time. He reached up above him and grabbed the wheel near the dash board to help him, inching his way under where I was bound up in the drivers seat. With his other hand pressed against the glass filled cement, he didn't seem to care about the glass or that I was dripping in gasoline and soon, he would be. I noticed he was in uniform now and through I knew more cops should be here, I knew he was the only one here so far..

"You need to leave...." I said, coughing more from the strong fumes and the terrible taste.

He ignored my words and inched under me even more until his face was an inch under mine from where I was hanging. I felt him groan in this tight space but his comfort wasn't his worry. When he reached down to his belt, his breath hard against my face, I knew he was getting something. I was too close to him to see. But the next thing I knew, there was a light illuminated from next to him. It was a small flashlight he turned on. And when that small light turned on, I cringed and we could see each other's face that much more.

I hated what I saw. Because I knew he hated what he saw by the look of his transforming expression when he took me in. So much pain... and I wished he wasn't the one that found me in such a state. His face paled and his eyebrows dipped even more, his eyes looking me slowly over. I watched his lips part in overwhelming shock at the sight of me. His eyes filled with so much emotion and with my dripping hair hanging down around him, he realized just how bad this all was.

I watched as he lifted a hand up slowly, shakily, and he lightly cupped my cheek, breath ridged as he took me in. My tears dripped down along with the blood and gasoline and I knew he wouldn't get over this. It was a terrible sight for him to see me. He bit his lip, cupping my cheek and shaking his head as if in disbelief.

"You're all wet," he said, his voice that of a scared little boy. Shaky and light, a small whisper when the rest went into that agonizing gaze aimed at me. He knew what I was covered it. I mean, he could smell it the second he got here I knew. But seeing me... covered and drenched in it... he didn't know how to take it. It was so disgusting to him, upsetting him more and more as he caressed my cheek.

"M-M-Mark poured it on me," I stared, voice thicker and heavy, my lips burning with each word along with the rest of my torn body. "Luke... you need to go. This is a trap...."

Though he put most of his mind on my condition, he was especially focused of my words. He listened to my soft voice between my wheezy breaths, eyes searching mine. And after I said that, he tensed up instantly, looking around him for whatever it was I meant because he had no idea. "What?" he asked, voice high and broken as his eyes found mine again, confused and begging.

"Mark. You didn't catch him. He's going to light this up. He's going to do it when you are trying to get me out, to kill you too...."

"I don't care," he said in such a loving voice instantly, so sure and so strong with that answer. His eyes searched my face and he stroked my cheek, moving under me more. "I'm not leaving you. Trap or not a trap."

I was able to surprisingly shake my head as I looked down to him. My heart with my body was in shreds and I couldn't take the amount of care and affection he was giving me. I thought I was going to die and now, I'm being rescued. By the love of my life, the one I wanted more than anything, the man I would never lose faith in, the man that changed me. It would have been easier in a way if I had just died. Because given so much shit then so much love was suffocating, overwhelming and I wasn't sure how to respond to such drastic transitions.

"He could get away.... he could kill us," I said, making that clear to him even though I saw he knew the risks.

"I'm not leaving you," he said sternly again, eyes digging in mine, voice deeper. His face broke and he looked down with a shaky breath, unable to even look at me. I felt terrible, just being the object his eyes fell on. I wasn't worthy to cause him pain. He didn't deserve it from me. I saw that pain existed band glowed bright in the core of him. And at the same time, I saw he was craving that pain if it had anything to do with me. His next words reached unto me and touched my soul more than anyone has been able to do. "I don't care if he gets away because I'll find him again. I will never find anyone like you again."

I felt a wheezy breath leave my lips and I felt my heart warm inside of me. I felt his palm on my cheek, so comforting... I rested more into his hand, closing my eyes and letting a few more tears leave my eyes. My ears picked up on him moving again and the next time I opened my eyes, he was directly under me, back against the roof of the truck as I was still bound up in the seat. He was completely inside and under me. No going back with ease or at least as fast he would need to if something happens.

"Can you move at all?" he asked me, his eyes going down me or at least what he could of me since he was already so close to me. His hot breath brushed up against my face and I welcomed it, anything of him in this painful moment.

I thought over his words. It hurt so incredibly much but I wasn't going to give up now. The more seconds past, the more aware I was becoming. I was still in that hazy state, one still close to unconscious. But now, I was conscious of the fact that I was alive and had the chance to make it, to live even if it seemed impossible. Luke before me now, I knew I could fight on. I had to.

I nodded slowly and bit my bloody lip, holding in my pain as I moved my arms a little under the seat belt. "...Agh..." I grunted under my breath. I could move my arms but since I was upside down, gravity working against me, that made it harder. Not to mention I didn't look down at myself because it was too much pain to handle. Realizing that I couldn't move much from being restrained and with my pain, his eyes seemed to search over me and slowly, he moved his his hand away from my face and down to his sides.

I wasn't sure what he wanted me to do but his next words cleared that up. "We need to take your seat belt off," he said, moving his hands down more so as he raised them back up above him, they would reached my seat belt. I still tried to help him in the process, knowing from where he was that it would be a little harder to unbuckle me.

I groaned and reached my shaky hand down, every inch of my arm moving causing a shot of sharp stings up me and over my body. The belt grazing the fragile and exposed flesh when I moved my hands down was nearly unbearable. Finally, when I felt the button to unlatch my belt, I yelped in surprised pain again. "Ah..."

My breath went fast, the stinging sensation within me growing harder and I knew what I did. Just so much as straining my arms made the belt tighten around me. It was tight enough since it was holding me up. But it dug in even deeper into my bloody flesh even more from my position and I let out a cry of agony again.

"It's okay," he said, assuring me, eyes widening as he realized what was happening. He stopped my hand where it was, his warm fingers, that contact, was enough to calm me a little. I looked deeper into his eyes and watched his fragile lips move just under mine, quietly in a whisper. "I'll get it. Just relax and I'll take care of it. I'll take care of you, Albany...."

I groaned and watched as his body strained up in order to reach the button. I watched as his body slowly rose higher up towards me. He was using his elbows to prop him up more towards me and when he was, he pushed his hands underneath him as well until he was completely pressed up against me lightly. His chin coming to rest just nearly on my shoulder but didn't touch it. With how close he was now, how far he propped himself up to get to get his body against mine, his scent found my nose despite the gasoline and everything else. It brought back those pictures of him... holding me in his arms. Of him kissing me with the amount of passion any woman would crave over. I felt ashamed, even now in such a suffering situation that had nothing to do with that. So when he spoke again, I was hesitant.

"When I unbuckle you, you will fall against me. Put your arms around me so it wont hurt as bad to hold onto me. I'll unbuckle it slowly so you wont be able to feel the belt sliding against your skin," he said in a deep voice, breath brushing over my ear.

The next thing I knew, he carefully raised one hand from where he was propping himself up. I was surprised he was able to hold himself up against me with just the support of one arm. I knew he was strong and he was determined. But the amount of strength, with the knowledge his hand was under shards of glass that was holding his body weight... It seemed like too much. He didn't need to suffer like this for me, it was too much. With the hand he freed from under his support, he slowly reached up more until he would comfortably access the button to unbuckle me.

However, when I didn't respond or do what he said at first, he moved back slightly to look me in the eyes, to understand my issue. I didn't put my arms around him like he wanted to hold on. I was hesitant, not wanting to wrap myself against him after what we engaged in not hours ago. A moment existed then between us as we stared at each other where we both understood was going through our heads. Of that beautiful moment we shared.

"Albany," he said lightly, guilt filling his jade eyes. "It's okay. I promise. Just hold on to me so I can get you out. When I unbuckle you, it will hurt and let you go too abruptly. That's why I am here."

I adverted my eyes in that moment but after a second, I reluctantly nodded, knowing I needed to put aside my issues. Slowly, carefully, I felt his hand move between the belt and my arm. Moaning at the harsh painful contact that wasn't his fault, it gave me a chance to move my arms and free them from where the belt partially held them back. So close to him, it didn't take much to outstretch my arms and wrap them around his shoulders. "Okay, are you ready?" he asked, his hand off to the side and hovering over where he was about to unbuckle my belt, his other hand holding him up and against me. However, I knew when he took my weight the belt currently was, it would be to much for Luke's hand and we would collapse back against the truck roof. He knew that but unlike me, he was able to handle the pain right now if he had to. It would hurt less for me and that was all that mattered to him.

"Yeah," I said in a whimper, unable to help it, resting my throbbing head against his shoulder, my entire body against his.

The pain was something I couldn't handle anymore. So I couldn't be more thankful that when he unbuckled me as slowly as he could. He grabbed it from retreating back and sliding against my flesh. Carefully, he inched it out from under me and the second he did, he started to shake as he began to take my weight.

I cringed at my entire body's reaction pressing down against his hard solid body. But god, it was better than a belt cutting into your skin as you hang upside down. But when the shaking became move evident, he couldn't handle it or reach anymore. He was forced to let go of the belt and let it swiftly retract himself. And when he did... I let out an agonizing scream, burying my head and mouth into his shoulder, gripping his collar hard. Oh god! Fuck, it hurt so bad.

The second he let go of the belt and I screamed, it was because he could no longer hold himself and me up with one hand. He fell back like it was expected against the roof of the truck again and I jerked down with him. The movement made me let out a deep cry, my tears, blood, and the gasoline soaking in his uniform. "Ohhhh... fuck. Oh my god," I cried. But it wasn't as bad, I knew. He was under me, my protector, and shield when I knew he was pressed against the broken glass again. That had to be painful, especially with me over him.

No longer propping himself up, now that I was down and against him, his arm moved around me and tightened, holding me against his warm body in comfort. However, when his other hand came to hold my shoulder, pressing me against him more... well, it was indescribable, that pain. Because of course, what he didn't know was that it was the shoulder Mark's bullet grazed.

"Ahhhhh!" I screamed with all I had in my lungs, shaking harder as I was pressed against him, over his chest. I gripped him harder, tensing up and closed my eyes that much tighter, whimpering as I jerked away from his touch as best as I could that second.

"What? What is it?" I heard him asked urgently.

After a moment of heavy panting and uncontrollable grunts from me, he realized what it was that was causing me such pain. He lifted his hand up that had pressed against the back of my shoulder and with the small light the flash light brought, he saw the amount of blood that covered his hand from that one spot. At least, that's what I got out of it when I peaked up at him after a moment, so hurt and so scared to just open my eyes. However, after he saw what it was, he shifted me more up on his body until my face was directly over his face and he brushed my hair back, looking even more shocked.

"Were you shot?" his breath was fast and hard against my face, my open and gaping lips. Being so close to me as I was laying over his chest on the inside of the truck roof... I wanted to close my eyes or collapse back against him, bury my head in his shoulder and scent. At the moment, his eyes just seemed too powerful.

I was hesitant on answering at first, knowing how angry he would be. And he was pissed off enough as it was. But it wasn't like he wouldn't find out sooner or later. Sighing, I nodded and saw his eyes fill with horror. I reassured him fast though. "I-It just grazed...."

"He still shot you," he said, his voice darker. His eyes took in the rest of me and he just shook his head. I watched as a dark shadow filled his eyes and you could see the pure hate in them over what happened to me. He stroked my drenched hair back and he took an edgy breath. "But you'll be okay. You're safe now."

As he slowly started to maneuver himself with me back towards the open windshield though, I saw that wasn't the case. Luke told me to hold onto him as best as I could since he needed both arms to help him. Gripping him, my arm moving around his neck, I pressed my cheek against his chest and just held onto him. His hands moved to his side and like before, he let that help him as he moved his legs to push us back. Moving back to get out with me. Hands digging into the glass with every push back, every inch he made when scooting back to get out... I hurt me, knowing he was suffering and risking so much by what he was doing.

That became an evident truth not a few seconds later. Because before we knew it and before we made it out of the windshield completely, there was a new source of light that wasn't from the flashlight. It was brighter, stronger, and with each second, closer.

Apparently, the common sense part of me was right before. Mark was still here, waiting and watching. I knew it. Luke got here right before he was able to set the truck on fire. So he hid in the woods, waiting and coming up with a solution: to wait to torch the truck when Luke was trying to get me out.. Mark wouldn't just run like that after he was so close to finishing me off. He was waiting until Luke got here to finish him off as well. Mark was smart and he knew Luke would be after him if he killed me alone. So why not get rid of him too he realized. And now, it was happening. He lit the truck on fire that moment.