𝑯𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑭𝒐𝒙𝒆𝒔

The planning

Joe started back at his reflection for a long time before being able to think about what to do next.

All he knew was that he had put his entire family in danger. If he didn't follow MR.Williams demands Taylor or Patrick could be killed. The thought sent chills down Joe's spine. The image of a gun being held up to his girlfriends head flashing before him.

The girl who would lay her life down for him in a heartbeat and here he was, negotiating her life with a criminal. Like it was some
Kind of business deal. The thought alone made him nauseous.

Nauseous enough to feel bile rising up his throat.

He needed a plan. A plan to keep his family safe and rescue his girlfriend's reputation.

She was still downstairs, talking to her mother about her norma-... well her problems weren't really normal. But they were normal on comparison to his. The truths he was hidin- no not hiding, protecting her from.

It might kill Taylor if she knew what he was really doing when she wasn't there.

Joe rushed out into their bedroom and pulled his laptop out from under his blankets and opened it up.

It took half an hour for him to formulate a plan, and once he was done he began preparing.

Joe grabbed the USB sticks he had hidden around the place, digital files were too easy to hack so he only kept these physical versions of the footage he collected.

Once everything was in place he mailed an envelope to sherwood and sent a video to the number of him posting it.
It was empty, but that was the point.

Will you please leave us alone now. You've threatened to take everything I've ever lived away from me in your desperate pursuit of money. You would go so low as to harm an innocent civilian to save your own ass you selfish fucker.
You were like a father figure to me, and to my brothers and now you sit here and have the audacity to threaten Patrick.
I know now the thinks you've hidden from us, the conspiracies, murders, abuse. You're disgusting.
And you've won.

Hoped by the time he had read the letter and realised that the files were empty he and Taylor would be 5,727 kilometres away in Iceland. Patrick would meet them there and for a while they would hide out. At least until everything died down.

Taylor's parents would be told what was happening, to make sure he didn't upset his future in-laws too much. Kidnapping your girlfriend doesn't seem like a great way to please her parents.

——————————————————

Step one: let Taylor know he had booked a holiday, a nice trip, to take her mind off things.

He closed his laptop and went down the stairs, knocking on the living room door to make sure it was okay to come in.

"Yeah?" Taylor called from inside.

He opened the door and saw Taylor curled up beside her mother, tear tracks still on her cheeks but looking much better overall.

Andrea was stroking her daughters hair, comforting her. It felt like a relief to know that at least one relationship was okay.

"Hope you don't mind if I joking you guys." He smiled, taking a seat on the other sofa.

"Not at all, I'm glad you didn't make a run for it. I was beginning to wonder where you got to."

"I thought maybe it would be nice to plan a little surprise for you, with everything going on right now you know?"

Taylor raised her eyebrow, questioning what he meant.

"A surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"A trip, I just thought it might be nice. You'd get to meet my brother too I think while we're there."

"Oh so we're going to London?"
She questioned.

"We'll no, it's a little cooler than that. But it's a surprise so I shouldn't say anymore."

She shrugged and seemed to go along with his minor lie. It would be a nice holiday, assuming she didn't find out why they were there. And he could find a way to keep her there for a few months.

—————————————————

Step two: let Pat know what was going on.

Joe rang his brother from the garden while Taylor was in the shower, just to make sure she didn't catch the conversation. They talked regularly, Pat being pretty much the only member of his family that he was still in contact with so their relationship was very important to him. joes father hadnt been involved in his life since he was 15, he could very well be dead for all joe knew. Thomas didnt want anything to do with his family at all, their childhoods hadnt exactly filled him with fond memories and having to raise his younger brothers cant have been easy. joe didnt speak to his mother often but Pat did so joe felt comfort in knowing she wasnt all alone.

even though it was aafter 11pm in london patrick picked up almost immediately.

"what the fuck have you done now joe?"

"wow do you have absolutely no faith in me? it wasnt even my fault this time."

"what. did. you. do. and what am i supposed to do to fix it?"

"i need you to come to iceland with me and taylor?"

"really? you need me to third wheel om your romantic holiday? thats a little weak joe. even for you"

"its not a joke pat and this isnt a date. you arent safe, we need to hide."

"fuck. what going on? how's your girlfriend involved?"

"it didnt work, my plan to get Mr.Williams away from taylor. he drugged her and now hes threatening both of you if i dont sell her out to him. im fucked, id rather die than put taylor through any more. i doubt she can take any more truama right now, i just cant take any chances and i know now what he's capable of. Hes insane pat."

"how do you always manage to get yourself into these situations? jesus christ, your lucky i love you. where am i meant to be going?"

"iceland."

"nice, romantic. am i gonna help you buy the ring? i still havent even met this girl yet. this magical girl whos convinced you to ditch your antire life, all your family and abandon your poor little brother."

"shut up idiot. im not proposing yet and i just told you that you'd be meeting her in literally a few days."

just then joe turned to find taylor standing in the doorway by the patio, wrapped in a towel and her hair still wet. she looked so beatiful, her hair backlit from the warm light of the hallway, filtering down through the door and out into the garden, the small smile on her face bringing joe so much joy.

"i need to go. taylors here."

"oh i see how it is. abandoning me once again for a beautiful girl."

he didnt have time to respond as taylor was calling him in.

fucker

"why are you here? ive been looking everywhere for you. i wanted to have a bath together. i know i just got out of the shower but like i thout it would be nice you know, to like-"

"shh. its fine, that sounds lovely tay."

she smiled again sweetly, cuddling up to him as she was clearly quite cold, still soaking wet and dampening joes t-shirt.