12
Two years later
Ashleigh and Phoenix were still going strong. She had to admit he’d calmed down since they had been alone, but had he changed?
Candice and Kaleen had visited Sandman and Ice in hospital in a frantic.
‘Why didn’t you stop him?’
‘We tried.’
‘You didn’t try hard enough.’
‘Once we’re out, and back on our feet we’ll get her back, we promise.’
‘You better!’
Ice took Candice’s hand. ‘We will we promise.’ He dropped her hand.
‘I can’t believe this. I know he’d met someone, but not little Ash.’
‘It’s not your fault Sis he never gave much away when he came round. She rushed him upstairs I never had much chance to ask. He seemed nice.’
‘He was until he met up with those kids at high school, and went rebel.’
‘We’ll sort it Kay.’
‘You better this is all your fault.’
‘How?’
‘You told him the truth, everything.’
‘He asked.’
‘He wanted to be just like you.’
‘And that’s my fault?’
‘Yes.’
‘He can think for himself.’
‘Yeah now he’s got my daughter doing god knows what to her.’
‘She’ll be okay.’
‘Will she? Remember us, and you, and what happened?’
‘How can we forget? Just chill Candice we’ll sort it I promise.’
‘You better, or it will be me that’s had up for murder not you!’
X
Sandman and Ice had finally recovered and was ready to go and find Phoenix and Ashleigh. They knew that they’d fled from the hut because the cops had been there regular to check if they’d been sighted.
They hadn’t.
They’d questioned their friends endlessly getting the same answers. ‘Sorry we don’t know where they are.’
They’d been searching n for Ashleigh and Phoenix for two years now and had yet to come up with anything.
Sandman and Ice had an idea of to where they might be. Somewhere they‘d taken Kaleen and Candice before they’d fled the country.
Ashleigh had told Phoenix the news that she was expecting, his eyes sparkled. He could finally be happy with Ashleigh and their baby. He may have not wanted one four years ago with everything that was going down, but with all of that in the past he was ready.
They had no idea of the events that were about to take place. With Ashleigh four months pregnant they were ready to move on.
Phoenix was placing the suitcases in the boot of the car, as another car pulled up. He closed the car boot as the two males got out of the car closing the doors shut. ‘Phoenix.’
‘Dad what are you doing here?’
‘Where’s Ashleigh?’
‘You didn’t answer my question.’
Ashleigh walked out of the hut closing the door. She turned. ‘Dad!’ She ran over to Ice hugging him. ‘You’re okay.’
‘Yes I see you are too.’
She dropped her arms from round Ice. ‘I’m fine Dad how’s Mom?’
‘The same.’
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I came, well we came to take you back.’
‘Why?’
‘I promised your Mom.’
Phoenix grabbed Ashleigh. ‘She’s not going back. She’s with me.’
‘So you brought her here? What a surprise.’
‘You know this place?’
‘Yeah we brought your mom’s here. He knows that.’
Ashleigh looked at Phoenix. ‘You never told me that.’
‘It slipped my mind.’
‘Like everything else.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘The police they’re still looking for you.’
‘So! They’ll never find us.’
‘Hand yourself in.’
‘Never! I’m not leaving Ash like you left Mom.’
They looked at Ashleigh. ‘Please don’t say.’
She stared at Ice.
‘No Ash he’s no good for you.’
‘For once I’ll have to agree. No offence, but you’re better off without him. He maybe my son, but he’s too much like me. I can’t stand being me, so I don’t know how he can live with himself.’
‘Yes I can.’
‘Come on Ash, come back your Mom will take care of you.’
‘I can’t Dad I love him. I’m having his baby.’
‘You’ll be safer at home.’
‘Get in the car Ash.
Phoenix opened the cad door. Ashleigh looked at Ice sorry full as she slipped into the passenger seat. Phoenix closed the door.
‘Running again?’
‘No starting someplace new.’
‘You’re not going anywhere with my daughter.’
‘Watch me!’
Ice stepped forward. The knifes edge slashed across his body. ‘I warned you last time if you ever came back I’d kill you!’
Sandman grabbed Phoenix before he slashed Ice again.
Ashleigh screaming frantically trying to open the door. As Ice fell to the ground.
‘Calm down Phoenix a few years inside will do you good.’
‘It never did you any.’
‘Be yourself instead of someone you’re not.’
‘You have no idea Dad.’
He pulled out of Sandman’s grasp, he turned plunging the knife into him. ‘You have no idea I’m just like you Dad accept it.’ He pulled the knife out of Sandman who dropped.
Phoenix leaped over the bonnet of the car opening the door slipping in to the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut. He pushed the key into the ignition turning it revving up the engine, pushing it onto gear. The wheels spun as he sped away.
He picked up his mobile pressing into the phone book clicking onto Coeb’s number dialling it.
‘Hello.’
‘Coeb.’
‘Phe.’
‘Listen carefully Coeb. We’re off.’
‘Why?’
‘Look we’re getting out of here tell the others.’
‘What have you done this time Phe?’
‘You’ll see. Just tell the others we’re okay.’
‘Yeah sure.’
Phoenix ended the call placing the mobile in the door compartment. He looked at Ashleigh, who was sitting shaking, crying.
‘I thought you never cried?’
‘You killed my dad!’
He placed his hand on her leg saying nothing.
‘Don’t touch me!’
He slammed on the breaks jolting them forward, then back into the chairs. ‘It had to be done babe.’
She looked at him through her smudged eyes. ‘I’m having your baby, their grand kid and you killed them!’
‘Like they’d have let you keep it. You heard them they think I’m no good for you.’
‘Maybe you’re not!’
He placed his hands either side of her face. ‘We’re together Ash. I told you no one would ever come between us, and I meant it. We’re together so deal with it!’
He leaned forward placing his lips on hers. Kissing her.
Her tears rolled down her face. Everything she had hoped for had just came crashing down around her. Could she ever love him again after this? Could she ever forgive him?
He pulled away. ‘I love you Ash.’
He placed his thumbs under her eyes wiping away her tears. ‘That’s better. You’ve got such a pretty face, don’t hide it behind your tears.’
He smiled.
He leaned forward placing his lips on hers kissing her.
He’d finally got her to shed a tear, well many. Even if it was not the way he wanted her too.
He pulled away, sitting back in the driver’s seat. He placed his hand back on her leg. ‘It’s me and you from now on babe. No one else.’
He took his hand off her leg and placed it on the gear stick changing gear, pulling away.
Ashleigh stared out of the window watching the many trees speed past as she closed her eyes.