The bright flashing lights of the police and emergency vehicles lit up the dank, predawn drear of the motel parking lot. Many of the guests were now gathered, either standing around the parking lot, the weathered railing of the upper floors, or pressed against windows. A cold drizzle had begun to fall, making the already miserable night worse.
Rin ran his hand through his damp, messy hair as he rounded the back of the ambulance, where Rory was still being looked over. "How are you feeling?" Rin's voice was a low, uneasy mutter as his eyes moved from the discarded bloody dressing to Rory's drowsy expression.
Rory winced against the administrations to his scalp as he replied. "Only a small cut… Doesn't need stitches…" Rory groaned and flinched between fragmented sentences.
"Said you could survive without them… not that they wouldn't be a bad idea altogether, young man. Though it may only be one cut, it's a nasty bugger." The middle-aged EMS worker muttered as he continued to work. "It's been a struggle getting the bleeding to stop, that's for sure… but if you're insistent on not going to the hospital…"
Rin frowned. "If he needs to go…"
"I'll be fine." Rory cut Rin off. "I just want to go home and lie down for a while."
Rin arched a brow. "And when you say home?"
Rory blew out a defeated sigh. "To mom's house for a few hours of sleep, then home… your home…"
"Our home." Rin corrected.
"Our home," Rory repeated.
Rin released the heavy air that had been building up in his lungs as he pulled himself up into the back of the ambulance. Rin lowered to the bench beside Rory and squeezed his free hand. "I'm glad to hear that's settled."
A thought suddenly crossed Rory's mind. His brows furrowed as he lifted his gaze from Rin's hand to his face. "Where is Sabastian?"
"Giving his statement to the police… Though there's not much to tell on your part. The proof against the other two is already pretty damning, and they haven't even gotten past searching the front office and that creepy ass room yet." Rin tightened his hold on Rory's hand. "I'm sorry I put you in danger like this, that I brought you into this without proper warning, without knowing the kinds of things you'd already been through… without knowing how something like this might affect you…"
Rory's brows furrowed more. "What do you mean?"
Rin's eyes searched him. "Rory baby, you have to realize, those guys… they were your stalkers. The proof isn't definitive yet, but they've all but admitted to it. The police are gathering the evidence now. Baby, I promise, no matter what it takes, you'll never have to go through something like this again. I'll make sure of it."
Rory's lips fell into a heavy frown. "How can you be so sure?"
Rin tightened his hold on Rory's hand. "I don't know yet, but I'll figure out something… Dillon's already working on a few plans of his own… We'll do whatever it takes. I promise."
Rory shook his head. "How can you be sure it was them and not…" He couldn't force the name out. The name that was on the tip of his tongue.
Rin's frown deepened. "We'll have all the proof we need once they're finished with these two. I guarantee that."
Rory nodded, too tired to argue about the matter anymore. The EMS worker finally lifted and stepped away.
"All finished, young man. You'll probably have a headache for a few days. I recommend using an ice pack and taking some meds for the headache as needed. If you experience any dizziness, blurred or double vision, nausea, or anything else unusual, don't hesitate to go to the Emergency room. Concussions aren't something to play around with. I'd also recommend going to an urgent care or ER if the bleeding starts again and getting a few stitches."
Rory nodded stiffly as he let Rin help him up from the gurney. "Thank you, Sir. I'll be sure to do that if anything happens."
The worker turned his attention to Rin. "Make sure that he does, young man. This one seems to be a stubborn one."
Rin shook his head. "You have no idea… but not to worry, I'll drag him in and have him checked out as soon as we get home tomorrow."
The EMS worker sent them a nod. "Sounds like a plan."
It was another hour before they were able to leave the motel. Rory was forced to provide a recounting of the events of the night as well, and then answer questions about the previous stalking events. By the time Rin was pulling open the door to the matte black Audi, Rory was too tired to even complain. His eyes slowly scanned the parking lot for the others. When he didn't see them, he turned a sleep-deprived, questioning gaze to Rin.
"Dillon and Sabastian headed back to your mom's house in your car while you were giving your statement. They'll not get there too much sooner than us. Don't worry too much. I've already called and talked with your mom."
Rory frowned as he snuggled against the cold leather seat. "You didn't tell her…"
Rin shook his head as he moved to close Rory's door. "No…" Rin walked around and climbed in. The first thing he did as soon as he turned on the car was turn on Rory's seat warmer. Rin's eyes moved over Rory. "Rory… Please tell me… are you done running now?" Rin's hands tightened on the steering wheel as his eyes trained forward. "I… don't think I can go through much more of these chases… especially now, not knowing if I'm going to show up to situations like I did tonight…" Silent tears began to stream down Rin's cheeks. "When I saw you on that bed… For a minute, I thought I'd already lost you… Nothing had ever hurt so bad." Rin's fingers turned white as he clenched them around the wheel. He shook his head, his eyes staring sightlessly ahead out the window. "I can't go through that again. I can't lose you." He finally turned his tear-streaked face to Rory. "I love you too much. I… love you, Rory…"
Rin's words had torn at Rory's already tattered emotions. Tears flooded his eyes and flowed freely down his face as his lips trembled wordlessly. His arms jutted out, and he launched himself across the console toward Rin.
Rin didn't waste any time pulling Rory onto his lap. Their lips collided painfully against one another, but neither seemed to mind the busted lips the action caused. Rin didn't think as his hand instinctively slid into Rory's hair, causing Rory to jerk away and hit the horn. Rin's eyes widened as he realized his mistake too late. "Oh, shit! Your head. I'm sorry!"
Rory forced an awkward laugh as he shook his head. "It's ok… but maybe we should wait until we get home…"
Rin groaned but nodded in agreement as he helped Rory back into his seat. Rin's eyes shifted to the dashboard. "You realize it's going to be well past daylight when we get back to your mom's, right?"
Rory nodded.
"Are you sure you want to go back there? We can stay somewhere else."
Rory shook his head. "No… It's ok. Ben will either have to deal with it, or they will kick us all out… We'll see, I guess."
**
Rin blew out an exhausted sigh as he pulled into the drive behind Rory's car and shut off his own. His eyes scanned Rory's sleeping face in the bright light of the early morning. Though some of the swelling had receded, bruises were already starting to form across the side of his face. Rin's frown deepened as he brushed a strand of blonde hair away from Rory's brow, only to have Rory flinch against his touch. Rin frowned as he let his hand fall away from Rory and turned his attention to the house they were about to enter. His hands tightened around the steering wheel as his eyes narrowed on the front door; his mind made up. I dare anyone to start shit… Rin shot Dillon a quick text before quietly pushing open his door and walking around to Rory's side. He pulled open Rory's door with silent ease before lowering over him and unfastening Rory's seat belt. Rin then scooped Rory into his arms with a smooth gentleness that wouldn't disturb Rory's slumber. He set his brow in defiance as he strutted with ease toward the front door, as it was being opened for him.
Dillon snorted out a chuckle as he watched Rin scale the stairs with Rory's sleeping body nestled against his chest. He shook his head. "Always one for making an entrance…"
"Are they both waiting inside?" Rin muttered in a low, irritated voice.
"You know it."
"Good. It's time to put all this horse shit to rest once and for all." Rin growled.
Dillon arched a brow. "You sure this is what he'll want and not a way to keep him from running again?"
Rin shot Dillon a glare as he pushed by.
Dillon shrugged. "Alright… Not like anything I say will change your mind anyway…" Dillon followed Rin into the living room, watching the reactions as Maggie and Ben caught sight of them.
Maggie shot to her feet, concern obvious as she ran across the room to meet them. "You're back! Is… is he ok?" Her tear-streaked eyes moved to Rory's bandages.
Dillon pressed a finger to his lips, a wicked smirk spreading across his lips as he noted Ben's disgruntled glare.
"The medic said to keep an eye on him for the next few days, especially the gash… He refused to go to the hospital…" Rin whispered. He turned his attention to Dillon, intentionally ignoring Ben. "Have you talked to Mandy?"
The smirk faded instantly. "I did… Your dad wanted you to call as soon as you got here."
Rin's frown deepened as he nodded. He placed a gentle kiss on Rory's head before handing him over to Dillon. "Can you carry him up to bed?"
Dillon nodded. "Of course… Good luck… He's not happy…" Dillon warned.
Rin groaned as he rolled his neck. "I figured as much."
Dillon paused as he shifted Rory in his arms. "Any ideas of what you're going to tell him?"
Rin squeezed the bridge of his nose. "I'll come up with something…" Just then, Ben shot up out of his recliner.
"Explain! Start by explaining to us! What's going on here?!" Ben screeched.
Rin turned his attention to Ben in mild irritation. He arched his brow. "Whatever explanation you want will have to wait. My father comes first." Rin turned his attention to Maggie. "May I use the office?"
Maggie nodded. "Of course, dear."
Rin nodded toward her as he began to walk toward the hallway, but Ben darted forward to block his way.
"Where do you think you're going! This is my home! You can't simply walk away while I'm speaking to you!" Ben snapped.
Rin arched a brow before shooting a skeptical glare around the room. "You're home? I see pictures of Rory, Maggie, and Rory's father… I see their possessions throughout the house…" His eyes moved from Ben to the worn recliner. "But other than a shabby chair and a few scraps of possessions here and there, I see nothing of you here. What makes this yours? I'd say if anything, this is Maggie and Rory's house now. Wouldn't you?"
Ben began sputtering as he struggled to retaliate, but Rin was already walking past him, phone lifted to his ear. "Wait! This isn't over! You can't speak to me like that!"
Rin arched a brow as he glanced over his shoulder, not stopping his stroll down the hallway. "I did and it is… Now if you don't mind, I have an important call…"
"Your father can wait!"
"Making friends as always, I see." Rodric's bored voice sounded over the line. "Let whoever that is know, I shall not wait."
Rin rolled his eyes as he continued down the hall ignoring the thunder of footsteps behind him. "I know… What did you want so urgently? It's been a long night, and I'm tired."
"What happened?" Rodric asked an underlying sharpness to the stoic question.
"I'm sure Mandy and Dillon explained the situation adequately enough. The police reports should follow within the next few days." Rin forged indifference as he replied.
"You know well enough that isn't what I'm asking. Why were you and Rory apart?"
Rin sent Ben a glare as he slammed the office door in the man's face. "Isn't it a good thing that we were? After the car wreck, Rory thought it would be better for us to travel separately. It seems he was right… and paid the price for his accuracy. You should thank him. Now, if you're finished with your interrogation, I'm going to go get some sleep. We have a long drive tomorrow… given our second attempt at going home goes better than this one."
Rodric was silent for a long while. "Why do I get the feeling you're hiding something from me?"
Rin snorted an indignant laugh. "Maybe I am… You would know better than anyone what that sounds like, wouldn't you?"
"Watch yourself, Rin… I'm warning you."
"Or what, Dad?" Rin blew out a tired, angry sigh. "You think you can make this day any worse? Go ahead and try." Rin gave his dad a few seconds to reply, but when the line was silent, he continued. "That's what I thought. I'm hanging up. I'll let Mandy know when we make it back home."
"Send the reports, Rin… The original copies. None of the edited and tampered shit you and Dillon usually send. Do you hear me?"
"I'll send what I send." Rin bit out before hanging up and flopping down on the leather sofa of the office. He recalled how Rory had said this was once his favorite place in the whole house to sleep, and now, he understood how. The leather molded around his tired, aching body like a well-worn glove cradling him close and promising comfort. Rin meant to only close his eyes for a moment, but a moment quickly turned into a dreamless slumber.