Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Sorry for being so slow in updating, I've been having trouble finding motivation with this story. I am working it out though.

+++

Fluorescent lights burned my eyeballs as I squinted, staring up at the ceiling tiles. Everything came back down to at once, my head pounding as images flashed in my mind. Stepfather dead. Mom is missing. Dad is in a coma.

I wished it was a nightmare, but I didn't seem to be granted the wish. My life is a fucking nightmare.

When the ceiling tiles became clear, a familiar face popped into view, hovering over me. "Tarryn, thank God," Carson said, relief in his eyes. "You're awake, took you long enough." He helped me sit up, cautious of the wires attached to my body, seconds later his arms are around me and my face is smushed against my brothers chest.

I let him nearly squeeze me to death before pushing at his arms. "Carson, let go," I mumbled, "you are suffocating me."

"Sorry, bub," he murmured, and pulled back, a soft smile on his lips. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

"Matthew loves me more than he lets on?" I grinned, vaguely remembering his voice, snapping and irritated. I remembered his voice, bossy and impatient as usual.

He laughed. "He's been a big pain in the ass, as usual. Security threatened to kick him out if he didn't stop harassing the doctors and nurses." I bet they threatened to kick the three of them out, but my brother would deny any misbehaviour on his part.

"Where are they now?"

"Getting food. They'll be back soon." His eyes burned with worry. "How are you feeling? Do you have chest pain? Your heart rate is evening out."

"No."

"No what?" Scratch that, Carson was just as impatient when he wanted answers, answers he deemed critical.

"No, I don't have any chest pain." Not much anyway. Not enough to report. My heart ached, like a continuous, dull throb, but it wasn't anything new.

Carson narrowed his eyes. "Don't lie to me."

"Why do you ask questions that you already know then?"

"You know why. You can't hide your symptoms, Tarryn. You know this and if you don't and it's missed then something more serious can happen and the doctors will keep asking questions and we'll be here longer than needed ... so save me the insanity of wondering and tell the truth."

I huffed. "A little bit, so what? I'm used to it."

"I mean more than normal?"

"Somewhat."

"Are you this unforthcoming with Dr. Webber?"

"Dr. Webber and I get along great."

"That's not what I asked."

I groaned. "Yes, more pain than normal. In my chest, my heart. What the fuck happened anyway?"

"Someone mixed up your medication."

"What?" I asked, thinking I heard wrong.

"Someone mixed up your medication," my brother said. "You didn't have your medications with you when you came to dads. I picked up your medications at the pharmacy myself, so that means someone got to them at the pharmacy..."

"You need to review the security footage." I tried to sit up, pain

"Stop moving and you wouldn't be in pain," my brother said.

I stuck out my tongue.

Carson shook his head at my childish antics, leaning back in the chair. He yawned, but covered his mouth with a closed fist, like he was trying to hide it. But I noticed the dark circles under his eyes, his cheeks pale, white as a ghost.

"What will happen next?" I asked, leaning back into the pillow. I felt tired, so fucking tired. I didn't know the time of day or what the day of the week it was.

"I don't know. The team in charge of our case will choose another safe house and we'll -"

"Because that worked so well the last time, huh?"

"We don't have another option, bubba ... and don't you dare suggest-"

"We have to figure out who is trying to hurt our family." I cut him off. "We don't know who we can trust."

"Tarryn, stop, please," my brother pleaded, "you need to focus on -"

"It seems to be someone from mom and dads past, the question is who," I continued, cutting him off. "Who would want to hurt them? What could they want?"

"Tarryn, enough," my brother snapped, his jaw ticking. "I am not talking about this with you."

I stared at him, taken aback, though I should've known better. Carson didn't dwell much on how or why, those were terms that were only obstacles to finding a solution. Maybe that was the doctor in him, solution based.

"I need to find mom," I whispered, swallowing the lump that formed in my throat.

"We will find her. I promise you, we will. But right now, we need to know why you collapsed in the middle of the kitchen. I am not arguing about this with you, bubba," he said, softer. "You can be mad at me if you want but your health is the first thing we need to figure out."

I closed my eyes, willing the bubbling irritation down. "Okay," I mumbled, leaning back into the pillows and holding my breath when a sharp pain coursed through my chest. I tried to clear my throat, but it catches and afraid if I said anything else, anything that hurt to hear, I'd burst into tears. "I need ... I need some water, please."

Carson nodded. "I'll go get a pitcher of water, and I need to talk to the nurse for a second, tell her your awake so she can come and take your vitals," he said, hoisting himself out of the plastic chair, slow, like it was the last thing on earth he wanted to do.

I smirked. "I take it you don't like the nurses on shift?"

"Just one and it's more like she doesn't like me," he muttered, shrugging a shoulder. "I don't know what her problem is ... easy on the eyes though."

"You're ridiculous."

"Skyler is rubbing off on me," he said, chuckling. "I'll be back in two minutes. Don't go anywhere."

I rolled my eyes, gesturing to my body. "I'll likely be here." He left, lips twitching with amusement and I looked back up at the ceiling.

What did happen? Why did I pass out, I asked myself, racking my brain to try and remember what happened exactly right before I hit the floor. It hurt to think about it, but I combed through my memories, trying, to remember.

"Run, Tarryn," she cried, pushing me away from her. "Go get your father. Go get help."

I fell backwards, landing down a small hill, smacking my head against a moss covered rock.
A sinister chuckled echoed. "She's not just yours, Eliza." It's a voice I didn't recognize. "Where are they? You know what happens when I don't get what I want."

"You will stay away from them."

I hoisted myself up and hid behind a tree, peeking around it. Two figures stood in the small opening in the forest, my mom and a man I've never met. His back was turned towards me, and he remained faceless.

A look of sheer terror fell over my mom.

"Call them out. You know I don't like to repeat myself," the man said, his voice low but ice cold. I backed up, stepping on a branch, the snap it made sending a chill down my spine.

The faceless man turned -

Smack. I gasped, a feeling of dread weighing me down as my mom slapped him. The man chuckled, tilting his head. "Oh, you'll regret that, you fucking bitch." He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, my mom dipping her chin.

He swung his arm, hitting my mom, and making her crumble to the soft, dewy grass. A blood curdling scream pricked in my throat, but a hand covered my hand, muffling the scream.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I felt myself being pulled back, into a chest. "Stop," a small voice cooed. "It's me. It's me, Tarryn."

It was familiar. Safe. I looked up - into identical blue eyes that resembled my own.

"Haisley."

A knock on the door jolted me from my mind with a gasp. Haisley? I didn't know anyone by the name Haisley. Maybe it was my mind playing tricks on me but ... maybe it was real but - another knock, this time louder, sharper made my gaze focus on the door.

"Come in," I called, assuming it was Skyler and Matthew back and went back to studying the white, tiled ceiling. "I'm starving and this hospital food tastes like shit-"

"Sorry to interrupt - but you have to get dressed-" my head snapped up at the sudden, unfamiliar voice. A woman stood in the doorway, arms at her side, calm.

"Who are you?" I asked, weary. She wasn't a nurse or doctor, well, she didn't wear scrubs or a white coat, and I didn't see any ID tag hanging from her clothing. She wore a thin blank jacket and dark pants with sneakers. "Are you a -"

"I'm special agent Victoria Hoffman," the woman stated, flashing her badge. I didn't get a good look, too far away and she had it back in her jacket pocket within seconds. "Where's your brother, Carson?"

"He went to track down a doctor," I said, weary of her presence. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"We have to go, now," she said, hurrying to my bedside, "your location has been compromised."

I held the blanket tighter. "What? How?"

"I don't have time to explain. We have to go, please get dressed," she said, leaning down to unhook my IV, unhook, a citrus aroma flooding my nose. She stepped back, pulling the blankets with her.

"Jesse is with him, escorting him downstairs. We'll meet them at the car," she ushered me up, throwing a pile of clothes at me. "Hurry up. We don't have time to discuss formalities right now."

"Chill," I muttered, watching out of the corner of my eye as she turned. Her eyes travelled down, analyzing the street below. I didn't like her, at all. I stripped the hospital gown off and pulled on the loose navy t-shirt and grey sweats.

Agent Hoffman ushered me into the hallway, her hand moving to my lower back, leading the way. We turned a corner, facing the nurses station and elevators. Two female nurses were walking down the hall, a male doctor in a white coat talking to a male nurse and man in a black leather jacket.

"Stop," the agent hissed, "we need to go down the stairwell. Hurry, this way."

This woman is seriously starting to - "Move, kid."
She grabbed my arm, hauling me through the exit stairwell. My heart pounded in my chest. "I know you must feel like shit but-"

"I'm going as quick as I can," I snapped. "What else do you expect from someone who fainted and has a heart condition?" Moron.

We reached the bottom and the woman practically dragged me into the main hallway, straight for the entrance. People milled around, walking every which way. Doctors and nurses, janitors, and visitors. Patients in hospital gowns. I didn't recognize a single face and an eerie, strange feeling twisted in my stomach. Something that felt like danger. Something felt wrong.

"Wait," I said, slowing down, trying to dig my feet into the mat just before the automatic doors. "I don't think - I need to wait for my brother."

The woman grunted. "We don't have time. Go, the car is outside, at the parade entrance-"

Hoffman managed to haul me outside, the clouds overhead dark and dreary. "No, I can't leave without Carson." I looked around, not seeing him or Jesse anywhere. "Where is he? You aid they were coming."

The woman said nothing, glancing over her shoulder. She gripped my upper arm and pulled me towards a black Sedan, the windows tinted. No, I couldn't get in, something is wrong, something is wrong something is wrong.

"Get in the car, Tarryn," Victoria ordered, her voice low and threatening as she reached for the door handle and whipped it open. Something is wrong something is wrong something is wrong ... the thought clouded my mind, my gaze moving over the leather backseats.

I shook my head, daring to look Victoria in the eye.  "No.... I'm not getting into the car without my brothers."

She inched forward, fingers tightening around my forearm and attempted to push me into the car. I kicked my leg up, foot on the seat, refusing to go father. "I'm tired of your attitude, kid. Get in the goddamn car."

Her eyes flashed with an intense irritation, one that made me realize I fucked up. I fucked up in trusting this woman, doubting her name was really even Victoria Hoffman.

"Who are you, really?" I asked, shoving her, yet her grip did not loosen. "What - what do you want?" I swallowed, forcing myself to breath, despite the rising anxious and fear in my veins.

Victoria smirked. "You'll find out soon," she hissed, and whipped out a gun from underneath her jacket. Barrel aimed at my head. "Get into the car, or I will kill your brother."

"Kill my brother and I'll kill you," I snarled, tugging away, my threat - no, promise - making her raise an eyebrow.

"You are so much like your father," the woman chuckled.

"How do you know-"

"Tarryn!"

I whipped my head around to see Carson sprinting down the sidewalk, Jesse chasing him from behind. He rushed forward, ignoring Jesse's pleas, demands, to stop. "Carson, stop, or I'll shoot," he yelled, holding up a gun, aiming it at my brother.

"No -" I yelled, stepping forward but Victoria jerked me back, slamming my back into the car. She turned, one hand grabbing a fistful of my hair and the other pointing a gun at Carson.

Carson froze, his eyes widening, panic flickering over his features. "Put your hands up, Carson," Jesse called, slowly edging towards my brother. I noticed a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, his eyes shifting from Carson to Victoria. "Put your fucking hands up!"

My heart thudded as my older brother tried to inch inch his way towards me. I shook my head, silently pleading with him to listen. His nostrils flared, becoming defiant.

"You fucking traitor," my brother hissed, as Jesse reached his side, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his waist, attention on my brother. Carson twisted around, kicking out his leg and landed a blow to Jesse's abdomen.

Jesse stumbled back, scowling. "You're going to regret this," he said and lunged for Carson. They fought, my brother getting in a few good punches until Jesse pistol whipped him across the face.

The blow made my brother fall back when Jesse caught him, landing another blow to his head. I screamed, lurching forward but Victoria's hold on made me cry out in pain.

"Shut up," she snapped, "and get into the car."

"No," I said, kicking her shin. Victoria grunted but pulled down on my hair, making my head tilt upwards.

Two shots rang out.

Warm droplets of blood splattered my face. Pain eased as Victoria let go of my hair, dropping to the pavement, dead. It took a moment to realize she'd been shot. I looked up, hands trembling, heartbeat in my ears.

Carson raced forward and I wanted to scream at him to stop, before Jesse could shoot him, but as my brother reached me, gathering me in his arms, I saw Jesse laying facedown on the pavement, blood pooling around him. "What- what..." I trailed off, voice cracking.

"It's okay, bubba," he murmured, "I've got you. You're okay, you're okay."

Footsteps pounded against the pavement. Skyler and Matthew sprinted towards us, Sam behind them veering towards Jesse. Matthew took me from Carson, shielding me with his arms.

"What the fuck happened?" Skyler asked, tucking a gun back into the halter on the waistband of his jeans. Matthew tucked me under his arm, turning towards our oldest brother.

"We need to go, there could be others on their way," Matthew stated, sounding just as anxious as I felt.

"Sam-" Skyler called out. "Someone sent them, these fucking weasels, to take ... to take her." I heard his fear, despite how much he tried to hide it. "We need to go, now."

"Tarryn, are you okay?" Carson asked, appearing in front of me. He caught my wrist, checking my pulse. "Does your chest hurt? Does anything hurt? Did she hurt you?"

"No," I lied, and Carson narrowed his eyes.

"We need to go back inside, out of sight, out of the open," Skyler said, ushering Matthew and I towards the hospital.

+++

Skyler paced in front of me, massaging his temples. He was on the phone, speaking in a quiet yet angry voice. Things weren't going as planned, I could tell that much. Though I'm not sure if a plan had been made. At this point, I think the only plan to stay alive.

I was back in the hospital bed, free from the monitors and machines, but from the chatter outside the hallway made it clear we wouldn't be here much longer.

I noticed men slinking around, in suits, armed with guns on their waist and another on a halter just above their knees, decked out in bulletproof vests.

I turned to Carson, crossing my arms over my chest to ensure I was serious. "What is happening? Tell me the truth, what is going on?"

Matthew shifted beside me but I paid attention to my oldest brother, wanting answers. Carson let out a shaky breath. "We're moving to a another safe house. One that will have 24/7 guards and medical staff to monitor you."

"So we're going to like, prison?" I asked - only half joking.

Matthew snorted. "For you, it will be prison. But hey, Trey and June will be there too. You win some, you lose some, right?"

"Stop. I'm serious. Where are we going?"

"To Michigan. We'll be staying in moms childhood home," Carson answered, but his voice was hard. I studied him, but he glanced out the window, expressionless. Again, my mind was muddled with the same, consuming thought: something is wrong, something is wrong, something is wrong.

+++
Any ideas about Haisley? Who is he?
What do you think about them all reuniting and heading to their mothers childhood home? More of her backstory will be revealed in the upcoming chapters.

Don't forget to vote and give feedback, I'd love to hear it.

all the love - Charlie 🧡