Home Sweet Home? (fK&C fanfic)

Chapter 18 - True & Final Freedom?

360 Days Since We Left Home:

Brooke Keye's POV: 

    I shuddered under the blanket the officer had wrapped around me and stared blankly at the wall in front of me. He had left me here, telling me to wait, but he still wasn't back and it was close to 20 minutes later. At first, I had been content to wait and process things, but I want to move and do something. Not just sit here and wait. 

    I stood up abruptly, clutching the blanket close in the chilly air, and stared at the door. No one walked through. So, I did. I peered around the corner but there was no one standing in the hallway. Then, a gunshot, and the pounding of running feet. Flinching back, I shut the door and backed away to the farthest wall. 

    The door opened and someone slipped through, closing the door behind them. They were breathing hard, forehead against the door. Footsteps echoed through the hallway, then faded away in the distance. A soft chuckle escaped the person, and they turned around, instantly spotting me. 

    Adam's eyes widened then narrowed with anger. "Why are you here? I told you to stay in the room-" he continued with a string of curses, walking up to me. He tried to yank the blanket off me, but I held tight. "They found you, didn't they? And you followed them willingly..." His voice dropped dangerously. "You went along with them, didn't you!?" 

    I swallowed hard, avoiding his eyes, and nodded. I didn't see the slap coming, but I felt it. I crouched down, cowering before him. I squeezed my eyes shut, shuddering. He crouched down in front of me, raising my face towards his. "You know I don't like hurting you..." he whispered, his voice dripping with fake honey. I met his eye, then screamed as loud as I could. He clapped his hand over my mouth - but the damage was done.

    "You idiot!" he whispered-shouted, eyes ablaze with fury. I clamped my teeth into his hand until I could taste blood. He let go with a surprised shout, and I ran away and out the door where several police officers were waiting. I ducked behind them and watched as they officially and finally arrested Adam. 

    The officer from earlier came up to me and asked, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you? Did he touch you?" I shook my head and his face softened. "Good - there are a lot of people worried about you so let's take you back home."

     "Home," I whispered, letting the word roll off my tongue. It sounded... right. It didn't matter where home was, it was the people that were there. And right now, it was my family. And just maybe the guy that was apart of the band I fangirled over way too much. The officer led me towards their van and soon, I was sitting in the police station, waiting for my family. 

    Out of the blue, it clicked. After all these months, I understood. 

    Home is where the heart is and where one's people or family is. It's not a place, it's not where you were born, it's not where you were raised but where God has placed you. The only thing we need to do is trust God placed us here for a reason and He's doing something good. 

    A small smile flickered over my face and a tear slipped out. Of course, it would click after every bad thing in my life.