( 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘺-𝘴𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 )

SIX MONTHS LATER

KEELAN'S POV

"Where are you going Dee?" I asked my older brother, meanwhile stifling a yawn as I did so. "I'll be back soon, Lanie." Dee grinned and patted my head. "You go on back to bed—I'll be home soon."

Somehow, I knew something wasn't right. Dee looked grim and...frightened? But why? What was wrong? "You look scared." I observed, making him stop in his tracks before slowly turning his head to look at me. "All is well, Lanie. I promise. Now off to bed with you." He commanded, slipping his boots over his bare feet.

"Alright." I nodded, "Be safe. I love you." I smiled in confusion as he hugged me tightly to his chest, as if he'd never see me again. "I love you too."

And with that; he was gone.

As soon as he got far enough away, I ran inside my room before slipping on my coat and shoes before I followed him. Something wasn't right about his attitude. And I was going to see what he was up to.

I was silent as a mouse as I followed him quietly, taking care to mask my form behind bushes and trees as he looked over his shoulder multiple times as he walked into town. Before entering our local pub—The Guildsman.

It didn't surprise me to see Dee heading inside of there—he was a regular customer there, since the day he turned eighteen four years ago. It was also the place he met his best friend Benji and his wife Daphne.

Maybe he was meeting them here.

But that didn't explain his strange behavior.

"What are you doing here girl?" Asked Bran Nelson, the resident drunkard slurred as I passed him, "Nothing that concerns you, Bran. How's the wife?" I asked politely, cringing away as the putrid stench of alcohol and BO wafted from his body. "Milly is well." He nodded, sending me a yellow grin before ambling off down the alley, no doubt running back to his wife—who would nurture him back to sobriety.

If I was Milly Nelson, I'd left the old coot ages ago.

"Oh shit!" I hissed, spotting Dee walking outside of the pub in a rush, sending a few looks to the man whose hand was clenched around his bicep. "What in god's name is going on?" I whispered, allowing Dee to walk further away before I started walking after him. Following the pair from the Guildsman, past the old McWalter cemetery, and finally stopping in between the old dairy and the old department store that closed fifty or so years ago.

"Where is it, Nolan? You said it was here?" the unknown man hissed, close to spitting in Dee's face as he leant closer. "Did I?" Dee mocked, backing away, "I told you—you can't have it, Keel. It's not mine to give anymore."

"We'll see." Keel mused allowing a sharp whistle to escape his lips before men started forming a circle around Dee. Were they going to hurt him?

"This is your last chance, Nolan. Give me the code or your sister will pay for your idiocy." Keel sneered as I balked, Sister? Oh. All of the sudden, I felt my feet leaving the stable concrete ground as a strong man picked me up and started dragging me unwillingly towards Dee and Keel.

"Keelan!" Dee shouted, "What are you doing here!? I told you to stay home!" He screamed, hands outstretched towards me, but ultimately pulled back and restrained. "I-I'm s-sorry Dee. I was worried." I mumbled, head hanging low in shame.

"Leave my sister out of this, Keel." Dee demanded, "She is innocent—she's not a part of this."

"Isn't she?" Keel mused, a wicked grin pulling up the corner of his lips. "She became a part of 'this' when you decided to betray us, Daniel Nolan." At this, Dee's face crumbled, looking despairingly over towards me.

"What's it going to be? Your sister or the code?"

"I—"

Dee didn't get to finish his sentence as I had already kicked the man holding me in the nuts as I wrangled myself free. "You stupid bitch!" The old brute cried, on his knees cradling what was left of his family jewels. "Keelan!" Dee cried as I kicked another one, aiming to free my brother. "Let him go, you old bastard!" I spat, clawing at the ground for a weapon, eyes on Dee as he slammed Keel's head into the brick wall.

"Keelan! Let's go! Now!" Dee spoke frantically, pulling me up as we started running as Keel's men knelt by his side as he laid unconscious. When we were far enough away from them—about a mile or two, we stopped to catch out breath.

"What have you gotten into Dee? What code?" I whispered, looking over my shoulder as we passed the Nolan Family Cemetery. "I'll tell you some other time, Lanie. We must get back home." He commanded as we started jogging back home, "But you will tell me everything? Won't you? I want to help you." I told him, stopping in the middle of the road.

It was true, I would do anything to help my brother—to try to get him out of trouble, as he's done for me so many times.

"I will—" He choked, stopping suddenly as a loud shot run through the air, "Dee?" I stammered; eyes wide in horror as I witnessed the dark red blood soak through his white t-shirt. "Dee!" I screamed, "Help! Help! Someone help me!" I cried, cradling Dee as he fell onto his knees.

"Dee!" I cried, arching off the bed, falling onto the ground as I woke up from yet another nightmare. "When will this end?" I moaned, wiping beads of sweat from my face as I tried to keep myself from breaking down.

When I managed to calm myself down enough to look at the clock on my bedside table—it was four O'clock in the morning. Since I had gotten back home, the nightmares where worse than they had ever been.

I couldn't help but think of them.

Especially Marc. I missed him most of all.

Flashbacks of that night plague my mind. Owen's voice—demanding I leave his house, Axel's stony face as I stare at him leaning against the doorframe—my heart pounding against my ribcage the longer I stared at him.

And even Owen's eyes as he stared at me as I had gotten inside the uber.

I wished I could erase the memories. So, it wouldn't hurt so much. But for now, I had to try to distract myself. I knew I would spend most of the day outside—I had a lot of things on my agenda today.

I had to shower, dress myself and cook breakfast for Mam and Da. Then head to the florists, to buy more flowers for Dee's grave.

Today was his birthday. He would have been twenty-four years old.

It was also the second birthday he's had since he passed.

Today would be hard. 

A/N:

Hello all! I hope you enjoyed chapter 27! At first, I was planning to introduce Karon, Alec, Daphne and Benji in this chapter, but i thought a flashback of Keelan's past would give you further insight on her background and why she acts the way that she does!

What do you think should happen next?

Should Keelan reflect more on her feelings for the boys?

OR

Should Keelan try to move on?