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Jack catches up to me in the slot next to where he's parked the car. All around us, the onlookers are boarding their own vehicles and shooting me pitying stares, but I ignore them and press my forehead up against Jack's car windows.

He stands there next to me, offering his company and letting me grieve. But I'm not going to cry.

I stay silent and let myself think. I mean...I shouldn't have really been expecting a different outcome. It didn't matter what kind of a case I put forward.

No matter how hard I drove a case, any case, Delilah would have gotten out on account of her dear step-brother, who probably owes her a favor. I don't know how the minds of the sick work.

I even bet Mr. Travels made it so that the court case was moved up and I didn't have the time to prepare...

Jack gently places a hand on my shoulder. "Hazel. I know saying everything will be okay is not the right thing to say, because the truth is, it won't."

He pauses and pulls me away from his car by the wrists. My eyes may be dry, but my nose has turned pink like it does whenever I'm sad or upset and am trying to bottle up my emotions.

He stares at me for a long moment, before pressing his lips to my collarbone.

"But what I can promise you is that even though Delilah is out in the real world...I won't let her come anywhere near you."

I rest my chin on his shoulder and he sighs. "I'm not going to let anything bad happen to you."

I give him the smallest of smiles, the only one I can manage before pulling away and letting out a deep breath. I can only imagine what I look like, disheveled, with my hair out of place, eyes slightly teary and a nose to rival Rudolph's.

He only smiles back at me before tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear and lightly goading me into the front seat of his car.

"Let's...Go to your place. And rest up for the day."

I nod as I buckle in my seat -belt and lean against the window. I mean...What else am I supposed to do at this point?

I look over at Jack as he concentrates on adjusting his rearview mirror. His eyes are hard, not softened like they were when latched onto me.

He's not leaving me even after this case is over. We were in this together and we're in it now. Except this time, "It" is life.

A trace of a smirk plays at my lips as I remember our first encounter. I tend to think about that a lot. How crazy of a chance that is, that of all the people I could have bumped into and all the days Jack could have peeked at his father's files and recognize little old me...It had to be that first day.

I think they call it fate.

The side of my face rests on my fist and I continue staring up at Jack. I watch him pop a strip of gum into his mouth and watch the way his jaw moves up and down.

He notices me staring.

"Why are you looking at me?"

He doesn't tear his gaze away from the road, but I can tell he's trying hard not to smile. I should be embarrassed, right?

"Um..."

He grins at me again. "Take a picture. Make it last longer."

It's an attempt to take my mind off today's events. Go back to normal...Is that even possible right now? Either way, I appreciate him for it.

A ding resonates from my phone and I pick it up in relief, glad for the distraction it brings. I flip open my lock screen and see Astrix's name pop up.

I open the text and bite my lip in alarm.

DELILAH IS BEHIND YOU!

I shake my head and turn to the side. I see an unmarked van I noticed earlier parked in the judge's lot. Is that what they let Delilah take to leave the premises? I would have at least hoped she would have been escorted. This is ridiculous.

And more importantly...Why is she following us?

I tap Astrix a reply.

W.H.A.T?!?

Jack notices my obvious panic and inquires the cause of my distress.

"Uh...I-there...Delilah...Um-Astrix texted....Er...Look..."

Jack knits his eyebrows together and leans forward to peer through the rearview mirror. We can both make out a dark shape, dark hair and a snaggletooth.

Definitely Delilah.

Jack lets out a little shout of alarm and steps on the gas, speeding away from the curb.

As soon as we do so, I see Delilah accelerate behind us. Her car gains on us and nudges the side of Jack's tire.

I hear a loud pop and scream, and suddenly Delilah materializes next to me. She smirks and her car bumps into ours. I see Mr. Travels sitting at the front seat and frown. How could he put the life of his own son at risk? Is he really that messed up?

This whole fucking thing is messed up...

The tires screech loudly beneath us and I let out a scream. Jack tries to make a U-Turn, but we're trapped at the end of a narrow alley, and his car crashes at the end of a wall. I know we must have some serious damage.

Delilah and Mr. Travels slowly drive toward us, and I see Delilah laughing. The glow in her eyes is one of pure rage and enjoyment. I wonder what my father ever saw in her. How did she look like 20 years ago? She could have been the epitome of beauty and I'd still hate her guts.

I lean back in my seat and then suddenly feel the bottom half of the car tipping backward. We're at a ditch and falling fast.

Our car skids down a slope, and Jack and I throw our arms over our heads and duck for cover. Dirt and bits of metal parts fly out underneath the wheels, and it's a while before we come to a complete stop.

Everything is dead silent.

I open my eyes and wish it was all another bad dream, but when I bring a shuddering hand to my forehead, I draw back with blood.

I look over at Jack and see he has a split lip, but otherwise he's all right. He helps me up and envelops me in a tight embrace. When we pull apart, I run my fingers across his mouth and his words are muffled by my hand.

"Hazel, I'm okay. We need to get out of the car."

I mutely nod and push on the door, letting myself out and helping Jack through. At the top of the slope, I see Delilah's car.

And then the driver's side opens up.

Shit.