The Divided

Chapter Forty-Four

I didn't stop running until Dean's house was right in front of me. My fists pounded relentlessly on the wooden door as tears streamed down my cheeks. "It's Melody! Please! Let me in!" I yelled. It was in the late evening and it was possible that they had all just gotten to bed, but I didn't stop pounding on the door. Their help was the only thing I needed at that moment.

A short moment later, the front door opened, and Reagan appeared into view. He looked confused, dressed in a pair of grey sweat pants and a large red T-shirt. I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "They know," I told him immediately. "My dad knows everything that I've been." The Extricate leader only stared at me for a few seconds as he comprehended what I was saying. Then, he tugged me inside. Before closing the door behind me, he looked around outside as if to check if someone followed me over.

Once the door was closed and locked behind us, I noticed Iris and Dean rushing over to me from the kitchen. They were both dressed in comfortable clothes, looking tired from a long day's work. "What's wrong?" Iris questioned me as Dean made his way in front of me. Immediately, he reached up and wiped my tears away with his thumbs, acting as if nothing ever went wrong between us.

"My dad knows everything," I explained instantly. "I accidentally let it slip to Mason—everything I had done—then he called my dad. He's telling him everything—I know he is."

Dean pulled me into his chest and hugged me tightly before looking at his father. "They won't come after her, will they?"

Reagan shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's illegal to take her away from us even though she is an Ameliorate," he informed us. "No matter her crimes, once she is on this side, she is technically safe."

"So, she will be okay?" Iris asked.

Her husband shook his head, making my heart drop. "Xavier makes his own rules. If he really wants Mel dead, then he will come over and take her back to the other side."

"We won't let them," Dean said.

"There's only so much we will be able to do, Son," Reagan replied.

"When do you think he will come?"

"Soon."

We all fell silent and the only thing I could hear was my breathing as I enjoyed the comforting presence of Dean. "Mom? Dad? Do you think you could leave us alone for a minute?" he asked. "Mel and I need to talk."

Gifting us small smiles, they nodded with a knowing look on their faces. As they turned down the hallway and disappeared from sight, Dean and I only stared at each other for a long moment, neither of us knowing where to start with an apology. "I'm so sorry, Mel," he finally started. "I was just so frustrated—and I put you at fault, wanting to point the blame on someone. I know you didn't want to tell him. You only did it to save me." I nodded as he stepped toward me and cupped my cheeks in his palms. "I was being childish. Please, forgive me," he pleaded, his eyes begging my own. "I don't know what I'm going to do if you don't."

Tilting my head to the side, I smiled up at him. "I forgave you immediately after it happened."

At first, he smiled back, but then it faltered. "Then why didn't you text or call me back?"

I shrugged. "I didn't know how to face you and everyone else," I admitted. "I was the reason that you had to make a whole new plan for the war. I didn't know how everyone was going to react to the stress of doing that."

He shook his head. "No one is mad at you for what you did," Dean assured me. "Your intentions were good, and we are all thankful that you took an action to save me when you had the chance." Taking a deep breath, I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you don't hate me," he spoke into my shoulder. "I will forever be sorry for what I said. To me, you might as well be an Extricate because you aren't like your father. You aren't like your leadership. You are good."