"I don't wanna do this anymore," my voice trembled. Tears ran down my cheeks, further ruining the mascara I had on thanks to Tia.

"Shhh, it's okay baby." Nate kissed my forehead. "It'll all be over soon."

"They're gonna know," I shook my head. "As soon as they hear sirens or see any lights, they're gonna kill us."

"You know I'd take a bullet for you, right?"

"I don't want you to take any bullets," I cried harder.

Earlier after Foosh had given us the location and time to meet Bach, it was my job to run to a payphone and call Swazz and give the same information. Turns out Foosh was already in the area and Nate had a feeling he would be. He knew Foosh's style. He knew he would most likely be around to make sure everything followed through. He could've easily done this himself but he preferred Nate take the heat just in case things got hot. 

I had only 10 seconds to tell Swazz everything and tell him clearly. I hope I didn't fuck up.

I was a nervous mess. Nate bought me chips & a drink at a Subway down the street from the location, but I couldn't even eat. My stomach was in knots, twisting and turning. He touched my hand, taking me out of my trance of negative thoughts.

"Please eat, baby," he begged.

"I'm not hungry." My voice was raspy. "I feel like I'm gonna throw up. At this point, I'd rather re-live Kalin kidnapping me all over again than go through with this."

"Same shit to me," Nate shook his head. "Look, open your hands. Keep them under the table."

He moved around a bit and I soon felt the cool and heavy metal in my palms. He gave me his gun.

"Put it in the back of your waistband," he continued. "You remember how I taught you to shoot?"

My breathing got heavier once I did as he said. The clock on the wall behind me seemed to get louder and louder with its ticking. 4 PM was creeping up on us like a lurking dark figure that seemed to suck away more and more oxygen the closer it got. At 3:58, Nate stood up and held out his hand to me. He practically had to pull me up.

We walked down the street and everything felt like it was going in slow motion. I could hear my heartbeat and the adrenaline pumping. The metal of the gun was warming up against my skin. I squeezed his hand and he brought it up to his lips. The wind blew more than usual, making his white t-shirt stick to his chest and abs. The tears that rolled down my face were being pushed in the direction of my ears. I had to keep moving my hair out of my face. We got to the dark red front door of the 3-floored apartment building. Nate made it a point to kiss me deeply before we entered. And the way he kissed me made me pray hard that this wouldn't be the last kiss.

. . .

We had to walk up to the second floor to apartment 2A. I kept my eyes closed as I heard heavy footsteps approaching, quickly opening them as I heard the doorknob twist. A tall guy with black hair answers the door and motions for us to walk inside. He shuts the door behind us, still not saying a word. The apartment itself was beautiful compared to the rugged look on the outside. The floors were hardwood, there was a lot of open space, and several people were in here talking amongst themselves. 

Before we could move any further, the guy puts his hand on my stomach, stopping me.

"Gotta frisk you two," he said.

"Both of us?" Nate asked.

"Yup," he nodded.

I became nervous as I waited, Nate was first to get patted down. As soon as he finished, another guy walked up. He looked more intimidating.

"Christian," he called out. "No time for that, Bach has places to be. Let's get this over with."

"But what about-"

"Let's go!"

Christian sighed and pushed me. Nate looked ready to turn around and kick his ass but instead, he reached for my hand. Bach was in his office, listening to old soul music. A lit cigar rested between his index and middle finger as he leaned back in his chair. He carefully looked at Nate and I and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his maplewood desk.

"Do I come off as scary to you?" Bach asked us.

"A-a little," I answered.

"Dammit," Bach said quietly. "See, Melvin? I told you, the cigar is too much. I want to give off a chill vibe."

"Sorry boss," Melvin said, taking the cigar from him.

"Ya damn right," Bach nodded then turned his attention back to us.

There was another knock on the door and Melvin opened it. In walked Christian with Foosh.

"Well look who it is," Bach's voice raised a bit higher. "Care to tell me why you couldn't do this yourself, Jake?"

"I know we didn't part on good terms last time," Foosh spoke. "This is a business, a business I'm good at, but you simply don't trust me. So in case things got a little out of hand, I have two human shields."

Foosh's smile was sinister as he looked at us. I began to tremble with no sign of stopping.

"How do you know this guy," Bach asked Nate.

Nate's lips pursed together and he took a deep breath. "He used to be my boy. We grew up together, ran shit together, stole shit together...then he got outta hand. Got mad when I started datin' Liv. Callin' her a distraction & shit."

"So this piece of shit in flannel used to be like family and he turns on you because you found love?" Bach repeated in his own way.

"Pretty much," Nate said. Foosh chuckled to himself.

"That's fucked up, Jake. And what's...what's wrong with her over there? Actin' like she has a nerve issue?"

"I'm sorry," my bottom lip trembled. "I'm just nervous."

"I don't like nervous people," Bach said.

Nate squeezed my hand, pulling me a little closer to him.

"Somebody take her outside or some shit," Bach commanded.

"I'll take her," Foosh volunteered. "I'll keep an eye on her. Make sure she doesn't run away."

"She's not goin' anywhere without me," Nate spoke up.

"Well somebody needs to figure this shit out, I have things to do," Bach shouted.

Foosh ripped our hands away from each other and he forced me toward the office door.

"I'll be out soon babe," Nate assured me.

I didn't want to leave his side but I remembered the gun I had on me...just in case.

. . .

"Enjoy your trip?" Foosh and I sat on a bench a few buildings down from where we first were. I didn't feel like speaking to him, but I kept my hand on my waist. That way I would be able to draw the gun quickly if need be.

"We could've been great friends, Liv."

"But?"

"But," he paused. "You interfered with business. I don't particularly like people that interfere with business."

"You really think you'll get far living this life?" I kept my eyes straight ahead but he was certainly in my peripherals.

"Oh, I know I will sweetheart." He ran his finger down my arm. "I always get what I want."

"What you want?" I turned to look at him. "Or what you deserve?"

"I deserve those things," he smirked.

"I hope you get everything you deserve," I said blankly. I meant it...and not in a positive way.

Foosh's smirk faded back to cold because he knew what I meant.

"You know," he scoffed. "I don't know what Nathan sees in you. Or what Evan sees in you for that matter. He's quite attracted to you for some reason."

"Too bad that's as far as he'll get," I snapped back with attitude.

"We'll see. He just can't wait until you get back to town."

"He's not even here?"

"Nope," he shook his head.

"Hm...that's too bad."

"What is?"

I was able to look past Foosh and see Nate emerge from the building. Immediately I got up and walked toward him. His straight face slowly grew into a smile. He took a deep breath as he saw me and tossed a paper bag to Foosh behind me.

Nate hugged me tightly as if he were afraid to let go and it's been a while since I could breathe this easy.

"Is it over?" I spoke into his chest.

"It's over baby." He kissed the top of my head. "You got what you wanted Foosh."

"I did," Foosh replied.

"So can we go?" Nate asked.

Foosh was about to answer but multiple police cars were coming down the street with their sirens on. Turns out I didn't screw up the information after all; Swazz was able to come through and help us from afar. Foosh began to laugh, shaking his head at his luck and tossing the bag of what I assumed was drugs to the side of the street. I looked up at Nate, smiling.

"I guess this is it," Foosh said.

Suddenly I heard a loud bang and Nate gasped with horror. We slowly moved away from each other a bit and I saw the blood on the side of his shirt. Foosh had shot him in the side but it looked to only be a flesh wound. I shook my head with disbelief and so did he.

"No," Nate said as his eyes welled up with tears. "No." 

His eyes traveled down to my stomach and I looked down too. 

It was me who was shot, only my wound was a little more inward. I didn't realize. I didn't feel it until I saw it. I was too busy being in shock, thinking it was only him. But the bullet had went through me...and grazed him.

"...Nate?" My voice shook and soon I collapsed into his arms.

"Liv, no. Olivia, God please no."

He held onto me and sat down on the ground, cradling me. He grabbed the shirt off his own back and used it to press down on my wound. His tears splashed onto my collarbone.

"Stay with me baby, please."

His cries made me cry even more.

"I can't lose you, too. Just hang on, please. Hang on."

I knew he was getting flashbacks of when his ex-girlfriend Jackie died. To have that happen to him all over again would be torture. But whatever was about to happen to me...it wasn't my call. However, if this was to be my final moment with him, I wanted him to kiss me. I wanted him to rub my cheek and give me one last image of his smile that could end wars. I wanted this moment of peace with him, to drown out the chaotic sounds of the approaching sirens and block out the side image of Foosh watching us with no remorse. But I couldn't get that once Foosh decided to cock his gun again, aiming it at Nate.

"I don't wanna do this," Foosh said. "I don't wanna kill you, Nate. But you betrayed me. So how do I say goodbye, huh? Do I shoot myself? Do I shoot you for payback? Or maybe I should just...put Liv out of her misery? Make it quick so your precious girlfriend won't be in anymore pain. Tell me what you think I should do? Huh...brother?"

Nate gulped and I felt his hand slide beneath me, grabbing onto the gun. He cries harder, squeezing his eyes shut every few seconds as the emotional pain became more unbearable. I was losing more blood and my vision was blurring.

"No no, don't go to sleep baby," Nate cried harder. I felt his warm hand touch my cold cheek and I tried to keep my eyes open. "You're gonna live, okay? Please."

"I'm kinda short for time here," insensitive Foosh shouted.

"Blood is thicker than water," Nate said quietly, still gripping the gun under me. "But Eve was made from Adam's rib...not his blood."

As soon as Nate drew out the gun, Foosh fired...but he missed. Nate shoots him in the chest...then in the wrist, disarming Foosh. After Foosh dropped to the ground, Nate tosses the gun and cries the hardest I've ever seen him cry. Here he has his dying girlfriend in his arms and he just had to shoot down a person he's known most of his life, a person he used to trust with his all. And if I know pain, all of the good times are rushing to the front of his mind.

But knowing that Foosh is down, I decided to take a deep breath. I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer. They got heavier and heavier.

"Liv? Olivia! Please don't fuckin-- please wake up," Nate shouted before everything went black.

______________

Author's Note: I always cry when I write that Nate is crying lol. This can go two ways...we continue on a Liv narrative next chapter...or maybe Nate will take over from here on out.

You never know with me. I guess you'll just have to stay tuned...

Vote & comment, xx