It's been five minutes in silence.

Right after I asked him to talk, he gave me a faint nod and we all got into his parent's car. When we got to Jake's house, Liam gave him the key so he could bring me home.

We're right outside my dad's gate, right next to each other, gazing at the outside in silence. 

There's so much I want to tell him, but I don't know where to start.

"I'm sorry," we say at the same time.

"Please," I ask. "Let me get this off my chest." 

He nods before pushing his body up and positioning it to the side, facing me. I keep my eyes locked on him and the moment he lifts his blue orbs to me, the tension inside thickens considerably.

"It was never a question of believing you," I start slowly. "I never doubted you. But my mind was running thousands of miles a second while frozen in time at the same time. I spent most of the day running around like a headless chicken, trying to make sense of things. By the time I finally calmed down and my mind caught up to me," I stop to inhale shakily and look down at my hands. "I was too ashamed to go to you." 

His exhale is loud, bringing my attention back to him. Shiny eyes stare back at me, filled with emotion and intensity.

"Then you wouldn't talk to me and I thought I'd give you the space for you to get into a better mindset but at school... I think I lost my hope then." 

He doesn't answer right away, looking at me with that same fierce expression, like he's looking for something. When it stretched to the point I start to feel uncomfortable, I look away. 

Outside, it's dark and eery. The closed window of the car prevents me from listening to the wind rustling through the bushes, making it even harder to endure. When I look back at him, he's still the same and I deflate.

He's still not going to forgive me.

"Yeah, that was it. I can get in by myself now." 

Grabbing my bag, I get out of the car and head for the main gate. The walk is short but enough for my arm to be grabbed roughly before I can press the button of the intercom. I am spun around just as harshly, coming face to face with Dylan.

His other hand comes up and attaches itself to the side of my neck, fingers spreading into my scalp. His eyes close just as his forehead presses against mine.

"I thought you didn't believe me," he whispers. 

His tone is so low and broken it makes my eyes sting with tears. I've hurt him so badly but all I can think about is how much I've longed for his touch, for this proximity.

"Thinking you'd left me..." His shaky breath his my face and I can't help but open my eyes to look at him. He's oozing pain from everywhere. From his words, expressions, from his pores. Hell, it's coming out of his soul.

"Thinking you believed those accusations instead and the realization I would have to live without you fucking broke me. For weeks mad at my mum because, if what I was feeling was a sliver of what my dad when through for seven years, goddamn it, he went through hell and back. I was so fucking mad at you too. I wanted to hate the both of you." 

Oh god. 

"But I can't." He exhales. "Every goddamned night ever since, I can barely sleep. And even then, I can't escape you. My brain overwhelms me with the memory of you and my deep desire of finding my way back to you." 

"Dylan..." 

"Shush, let me get this off my chest." He mimics what I said earlier, while his other hand finds my chest, right over my heart. " I still want to be mad at you, but after today... Knowing what you went through while I was drinking myself into a stupor. It could have been you instead of her, and if that had happened I would never forgive myself for it." 

"It wouldn't-"

"Shush," he hisses, slightly annoyed. "In the end, I am just thankful. Thankful for the fucking amazing family that stood by me, even when I was being a spoiled cunt. Thankful that even from a distance when I was being an asshole, you kept loving me and helping me. Thankful that I have another chance to make things right and tell you everything the right way..."

"I love you," I blurt, beating him to it.

He freezes, eyes shooting open in shock. I can never get tired of looking into those, feels like having a free glimpse into heaven.

"I didn't say it back, but I felt it already," I cradle his face. "I've felt it for a while now. I was just too pussy to say it out loud." 

"You do?" he whispers, still stunned.

"I love you so fucking much. So so so much." 

"Thank fuck!" He sighs, a smile forcing its way onto his lips. "Can I kiss you?" 

Always the fucking gentleman.

Instead of answering I smash my lips to his. Warm and soft. Gentle and inviting. At least until my tongue sweeps on his lower lip, awakening the hungry beast within. His hold on the back of my neck tightens at the exact time our tongues meet after weeks apart.

My skin tingles in excitement and our hearts skyrocket in synch. Weird how he can make me feel at home like I belong and at the same time have that funny feeling in my stomach as if I were riding a rollercoaster. 

It doesn't get better. This is it.

He is it. 

Half of my soul.

A clapping sound breaks us apart, and I curse. Dear father probably saw through the video cameras and decided to make an appearance. Way to ruin the mood.

Except, when we both open our eyes and look over to where the sound comes from, we freeze.

It's not my father. It's not Aiden.

Dean.

"What an amazing show you got going on here," he chuckles darkly, never stopping his clapping.

Dylan stiffens for a second but then, instead of reacting right away he gives me a good look. His hand leaves my neck and grabs his phone, which was in his pocket. 

"Hey, I am talking to you!" Dean yells.

I look at him over Dylan's shoulder, while he keeps unbothered, typing his phone. It's only then, that he lazily turns around, positioning himself in front of me, in a human shield kind of stance.

 "Wasn't enough what you did already? What do you want?"

"If it were enough that'd be me and not you in her arms," Dean answers, loudly. He's angry.

He must have heard the Judge's decision already. That was fucking fast, must have been what three hours or so?

"I told you that would never happen, Dean," I chime in, sidestepping Dylan, in an attempt to leave this protective barrier he's created. "There isn't another choice for me. It's him." 

"It's still the wrong choice." He seethes, his hand coming to the back of his pants and Dylan automatically pushes me behind him again. 

"What the fuck are you doing, Dylan?" I hiss in a whisper.

"Stay behind me." 

"Like hell!" I tug on his hand, bringing the both of us backwards, closer to my dad's gate. "I'm calling my dad." 

I call and but after a while, it goes to voicemail. What the fuck? He always picks up.

"He was supposed to be in jail by now," Dean yells. "You had to stick your nose where it doesn't belong. I had it all planned out, you see? At first, it was just supposed to be drug possession. That's why I was pissed when the blonde bitch told me you had just left... But when I got there, she was bawling her eyes out and I took the chance." He chuckles darkly. "She likes it rough you know? She did the times before but this time she started resisting and boom." 

"You're a piece of shit," Dylan spits. 

Dean ignores him, continuing his rant, "When I learned that you spent the night at the convenience store I was thrilled. It doesn't have video cameras so all I had to do was threaten Joshua. With him nowhere to be found you'd have no alibi. However, that little shit is going to pay once I'm done here." 

"The fact that you think you can still get away from this is just delirious."

"Watch me," he grins, his hand finally pulling back, revealing a gun.

Dean points it straight at Dylan and I swear I can feel my blood freeze in my veins as realization dawns on me.

"Dy, no," I beg, my hand finds his arm, trying to bring him closer to me. To my side. but he doesn't fucking budge. 

Looking around, the sun is lower, getting closer to the sunset. There's a golden glow in the light but it's everything but beautiful at this moment. The street is eerily empty, not a soul in sight and all I can think about is what are we going to do?

He can't fire that gun.

Where the fuck is my dad?

"Dean, don't do this." 

My hand find Dylan's stomach and my fingers splay across it as it raises a notch, closer to his chest. His heart is beating so fast, so frenetic underneath my fingers and I can't help the tears that gather inside my eyes, ready to overflow at any moment. When his hand catches my wrist and tries to pull it away I close my fist, fisting his shirt with it. 

"Don't you dare," I growl to his back.

"I won't let him harm you," Dylan says in a calm tone. It still doesn't match his heart.

"Harm me?" I scoff. "As soon as I'm out of harm's way he'll kill you." 

"She's not wrong," Dean tuts, unbothered. "Look at this, so poetic. Are you going to do a Romeo and Juliet kind of thing? How tragic!"

"Fuck you," I yell over Dylan's shoulder but he only chuckles in response.

 "Now now," he mocks. "Be a good girl for once in your life and get your ass over here." 

Dylan's hand who was still wrapped around my wrist moved. He had still been trying to get me to let go but as soon as Dean spoke, he stopped trying to get me away and instead, his arm came behind to touch me and bring me closer to his back.

Why are men so fucking stupid? Does he think he can sacrifice himself? As if...

"On one condition," I yell back. 

Dylan's head swivels around, glaring at me to shut the fuck up but I just glare back. 

If I can get close enough to Dean, I can get the gun away from him.

"Don't be too greedy darling, you're not in the position to negotiate." 

"If I go with you, you let him go. Alive and unharmed."

After a long and stretched silence, he gives in, "Sure."

"No way," Dylan clutches my hand to his chest. "No fucking way!"

"Baby," I coo. "Let me go."

"No." He says, turning his back to Dean, facing me, now. "I just got you back."

"You never lost me," I whisper, so only he can hear me. "You never will."

I caress his cheek and he shakes his head, shiny eyes begging mine to change my mind. "No, stay here. Please."

"Dylan," I call, grabbing his chin. "Trust me. I am not leaving you. Ever." 

My sweet boy. If a few months ago someone would have told me how madly in love I am with this man, I would have laughed in their face. But now...

I wouldn't change a single thing. 

I was lost and alone. Burdened with the weight of the world, a weight that wasn't even mine to carry. But this man before me took my life away like a hurricane, leaving only good things in his wake. He brought my father back into my life, he showed me what loyalty and dedication is. He is my life lesson, taught me how bright it can be and there's no going back now. 

It wouldn't be possible to keep living as if he never existed, not after meeting him. Not after falling in love with him.

"You'll come back? You promise?" He asks and I nod with a small smile in response, but it doesn't seem to be enough to him. "Promise me, Luna. Promise me you'll come back to me."

"I promise baby. I'll always find my way back to you." 

⛓️ Author's Note ⛓️

Did I just do this? Yep. I did lol 

Just wanted to be cruel one last time... 👀

The next chapter won't be out before Saturday, most probably. Sorry but I have two days of 13 hours of work. ALMOST AT THE END... AHHH!