Shot Through The Heart

Chapter 6

Two chapters in one day because why not?

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Alicia looked up and smiled weakly at them. “Hey,” she said quietly, wiping her hands off on her apron.

 Caroline stared at her. “We…you…but,” she said with pauses in between her words, unable to comprehend what was going on. Just hours ago they’d all trooped out to find her and here Alicia was cooking food.

 Alicia frowned slightly. “What is it?” she asked, glancing between the three of them.

 Big D blinked before finally coming to his senses. “You left this morning and we went out searching for you. Where have you been?” he asked looking mildly impressed by how she managed to slip away so quickly.

 Alicia looked at them a little confused before shaking her head and laughing. “No, no. I didn’t leave. I just stepped outside this morning for a smoke,” she said blushing slightly. “Er, dad never liked the smell and it’s just a habit.”

 Caroline blinked and looked at her. “I’m sorry, what?” she asked, still in shock.

 Big D scowled and walked over to Alicia. “We thought you’d ran away!” he said loudly, grabbing his shoulders and shaking her slightly.

 Alicia looked a bit frightened and stepped away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you any harm,” she whispered quietly, looking like an innocent puppy that had done something wrong.

Jackson frowned deeply and walked forward, pulling Alicia into a hug. Caroline scowled slightly and rolled her eyes, crossing her arms.

“Hey, it’s alright,” Jackson murmured though it was loud enough for Big D and Caroline to hear. “We just wanted to make sure you were all right and that you hadn’t run off because…of your father.”

 Alicia nodded slightly, resting her head on his shoulder and hugged him. “Ok. I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Big D glanced at Caroline, thinking Jackson was being a bit too soft on her. Caroline shook her head, telling Big D silently not to do anything because then not only would Alicia be upset but Jackson would be upset too.

Jackson rubbed Alicia’s back before letting her go. “Alright, well everything is okay again and we just need to settle down,” he said and let Alicia go back to her cooking while he, Caroline, and Big D walked to the middle of the room.

 Alicia smiled slightly and went back to the crockpot full of pulled pork while the brownies cooked in the oven.

Big D ran a hand over his face and tossed his gun into the weapons bag. “So. We’ve found Alicia, wasted pretty much the whole day, and found a disturbed little boy named Ethan. Great,” he said sarcastically. 

Caroline yawned slightly. “Yeah. This is insane. That boy definitely has something wrong with him.”

Jackson shrugged. “Well I mean can you blame him. It’s been pretty hard on us and we’re adults. The kid was stuck up in a tree while his neighbors tried to eat him,” he pointed out. 

Alicia watched them silently from the kitchen, pulling her brownies out of the oven because they were finally done. She took a few steps over to her crock-pot of pulled pork, checking that as she tore her gaze from the three of them. Who was this Ethan? And why did they think he was insane? Her father had been shot by them, did that make her crazy too?

 She brushed off the thought and stirred the pulled pork. She was trying to greet them into the store. There was no way Alicia could survive on her own and she knew that. She would have to watch herself more and not send them on a wild goose chase anymore. Not that she’d meant to cause trouble. It was a mistake.