Nate Mason POV

"Was that a gunshot I heard?" Simon rushes in when I swiftly fly down the staircase.

I was preoccupied with what I had done. I didn't know what to do. I only wanted to protect my family.

I wanted to shield my daughter from all harm, and when I heard noises from her bedroom, I was alarmed, for Cheryl had been too quiet since she came back to us.

"Call Kimberly, just get her here." Desperately I commanded the sheriff, who was supposed to interrogate Cheryl again.

"What happened?" He worriedly asks.

Terrified of each ticking second of the clock. "I will tell you, just get her right now."

"Alright, Nate." He left through the front door before Cheryl descended downstairs with Helen behind her.

She had blood all over her sweater, her face, and her hands. She looked completely despaired.

"Cheryl." With panic, Helen called after our daughter.

Cheryl began putting on her shoes, and that was when everything sunk in; she was turning her back on us. She was leaving us.

"Where do you think you're going?" My voice wasn't that husky and parental; I wanted it to sound.

"Cheryl?" Helen called again when Cheryl turned the doorknob.

She halted for a while staring outside the street. "You took away something from me that cannot be replaced. He might be ruthless or whatever you've portrayed him as but he was exactly what you two made out of him. You two are evils and I've never regretted anything the way I regretted being your daughter."

If anything had ever stabbed me deeper it should be those words. Cheryl was the daughter whom looked up to me, she was that daughter whom would depend on her father even in the last moment because she had all her trust in me, having hearing that from her it scattered me, she was my daughter, the only reason I wake up feeling blessed every day.

None between Helen or I were able to form any coherent sentence and with that Cheryl disappeared through the door and I couldn't do anything about it because my legs were stuck to the wooden floor, I was ripped apart as every word of hers replayed in my head.

She was right we made Finn who he turned out to be, I made him a murderer, a kidnapper and everything he had to went through was because of me. I let him witness the most tragical event that not even an adult should be tortured that way. He was young and helpless, scared and lonely.

That was when I realized I was nothing more than an evil ruthless man as my daughter saw me, I was a monster and I was no better than who Finn was. I reckon I was worst for he was avenging but I on the other hand did started everything because I wanted to maintain my job twelve years ago.

I stood there weakly staring through the glass door until Kimberly and Simon walked in through it.

I had just lost my daughter, she was the only person I had left, she was my everything.

"Detective?"

"Nate." "Nate."

"NATE." Helen loud voice brought me out of my almost unconscious self.

I was barely responding to anything at that moment but I think Helen managed to explain everything to those two people that we call our best friends since high school.

Simon and Kimberly were always there for us no matter hardship. Simon knew about what happen April 20th but Kimberly didn't, she almost passed out as Helen kept explaining while she tried every medical techniques on the probably dead young man I've shot without thinking.

I've never regretted my instinct like I did on that day.

Because I saw them, I saw the way he meant to my daughter and I was sure she meant something to him too and I knew shooting him was the biggest mistake I had ever made for the boy I saw as a remorseless murderer was the same boy my daughter saw as someone better than me.

After several attempts that we all gave up and sat hopelessly around the body in cold blood, Simon caught sight of Finn's fingers moving.

"You sure?" Helen eyes were wide as she stared at Eureka springs sheriff hoping he was right.

Kimberly scooted over and placed her finger on Finn's neck to check his pulse and the responsive smile on her face was surprisingly the most relieved feeling I've ever had.

I was going to protect and help him, I was going to keep him safe and away from any harm. That was the vow I took immediate I learnt Finn was alive.

What happened that night stayed between the four of us. With a doctor, a lawyer, a detective and the sheriff we managed to wrapped up the story and bring the end of FH mystery and even the gunshot that the neighbors hear that night.

Kimberly and Simon helped with a cover up corpse and story since Finn had managed conquering all those men involved in bringing his family down.

I on the other hand regretted backing April 20th story after being tricked by Rowling laws, Dean Richards and the other men in power back when I only wanted to provide for my family. Although they managed to manipulate me into believing Eric Hayes suitcases were armored and afterwards they blackmailed me into signing and approving the profitable centers with the money that was meant for the boy whom turned into a cruel murderer because of everything that happened in his awareness.

The least I could do to make my daughter know I wasn't that monster she saw me as was helping Finn.

She was pregnant and she was all alone, I know she can't do it on her own.
Who she needed was the boy laying in cold blood receiving treatment from Kimberly.

Finn POV

Do you know that feeling when you woke up and realized you're laying next to a cobra?

No! of course not because it's something that doesn't happen to everyone.
Well my life was and had always been a mess so opening my eyes I found the biggest enemies, people I should be silting their throats for what they've done to me.

The pain of the wound in my chest was nothing compared to the emotional pain I struggled with facing the woman that shredded my life to pieces and took it away leaving me with no pieces to patch up.

I was breathing hard and fast whilst I eyed them daggers waiting for them to began their torture.

"Hey, you really do snore that loud?" Kenneth narrowed his eyes at me.

What?

I was more than confused of what world I was, was this how after life looked like? Making amends with your world greatest enemies.

"Don't mind him, you slept peacefully honey." Helen told me just when another woman walked in through the door of the room that looked unfamiliar.

"He's awake." The woman stated.

If I thought I had ever been confused then at that moment I was clueless.

Where was I? What was happening? Why am I here?
Instead to asked I only shifted my gaze between the three people in the room.

My heart was thumping in my chest and my biggest fear was I wouldn't be able to see Cheryl again.

"You're in Washington, you'll be staying with us for a while until everything's settled." Helen husband informed me.

"Beside you need to heal." Helen added.

My brows knitted for nothing was making meaning. "Why? Aren't I supposed to be dead?"

"Kimberly saved you." Helen answered with a beaming smile as she gestured to the woman standing beside the bed I was laying on.

"Am I under arrest?" I questioned.

Smiling widely Helen responded. "No, Nate and Simon, well let's say everyone around here had given the people the justice they wanted."

No way, I don't believe it, unless they were preparing me for my hell.

"I see no justice, I'm laying on bed without cuffs although I won't brag about it since those before me want me dead."

"Finn..." Kenneth starts but I interrupted.

"What are you going to do with me?" I don't trust them, I would never trust them.

"I told you, we all covered everything up, you're safe so is your reputation, you can go back to school and continue your activities, I mean normal not the other polar, but it would take sometime though, for now you will stay here with us." Helen smiled again.

Why is she smiling?
Why would she and Nate help me? No! It's a setup.

"I'm sorry if I'm rude but with all respect I know who you are and I know what you want from me, so I don't believe you." I attempted to sit up but I ended up wincing, fuck if it doesn't hurt.

I should've known the Mason's shooting me in the chest was a tradition or more like a family culture.

"I know it would take time for you to believe everything but Finn everything is going to fine, you only need to calm down."

Scoffing even though it stung my chest. "Calm down? Cheryl is pregnant and I don't even see her here, where is she?" I shook my head, shooting them my questioning eyes.

The smile on Helen face faded and frown took over. "She, she..."

"She abandoned you, didn't she?" I smirked, it felt somehow good. Honestly it felt too good.

Helen swallowed. "I only wanted to protected my family." She quietly answered.

"By destroying mine and covering your husband after turning me into an orphan on my birthday?" Fiery furious I fired back.

"I didn't had any option." She mumbled and dart her eyes to the wall.

I stared at the woman avoiding to look at me, the room was quiet even though there were two other people with us.
"If I am not restrained or under whatever you guys called it can I leave? I have things to do, unless your ex husband is on his way to finish what he started then I'd gladly stay and wait for him." I forced myself to seating position even with the ache piercing right into me-I only grunt in pain.

Kimberly sharply grabbed my wrist to stop me from disconnecting the IV drip attached to my vein.

"You're going to hurt yourself, keep your hand down." She ordered.

"I'm leaving." I firmly announced and peel the socket out from my hand.

"Listen kid, I don't know how you feel because you're hurting too much, no one should feel that way but you have no idea the risk these two women and the men back in Eureka springs took to keep you safe. I know you're angry and you have every right to be but at least think before doing anything crazy. I heard Cheryl is pregnant, you're soon going to be a father, you don't want to risk your life. You have a great future don't let anger take that away from you. All we are asking is time, everything would be settled, Nate and Simon are working on it and you can walk the street of America freely, you could take your kid and Cheryl anyway without fear, don't you want that?" Kenneth articulated.

His words weaken me that I couldn't protest anymore when Kimberly attached back my medication and helped lay me back.

From then I didn't remember how we bonded but as days went by those people began building a place in my heart, Kenneth brought a video game particularly for me and we would play together every time he came back from work. I found out I love lobster Mac and cheese than chicken tetrazzini and so Helen made sure to bake my new favorite food at least three times a week. Kimberly left when I got better since she had to go back to Arkansas and take over her job and for Nate; he started visiting often even though I could see the tension he felt around his ex wife and her husband he stood brave and tried making amends. Several times I've attempted hitting him on the face even after he brought some unisex baby set sweaters and socks. Luckily Kenneth would always found ways to invade me with his wisdom words until my anger subdued.

As months passes I began realizing everyone deserves a second chance, if I the notorious murderer could get a second chance why not Nate and Helen?

It still hurt knowing they took away something from me but then I reminded myself they replaced it with Cheryl, I had Cheryl and soon a child.
In a very odd way I was grateful to them.

In the third month when I insisted leaving Nate agreed to letting me call Denny. Sharon picked the phone that night and it took her thirty minutes if not more before she stopped crying.

Although Sharon and Denny couldn't visits for some reasons that Helen insisted on but we video call almost every night and they kept updating me about Cheryl's baby bump. When they told me she was still grieving and barely speaking I wanted to leave and drive back to Bolingbrook but Denny convinced me to stay with Halen until it was the right time, who would've thought Denny would ever agreed to me and the Mason's under the same roof for a minute? But he basically spoke with Kenneth and Helen often on the phone, albeit it took Sharon a while to let go she finally started picking Helen's phone call that I once eavesdropped on them discussing about the baby shower and some healthy food recipes Sharon makes for Cheryl.

I didn't get to connect with Steph and Liam, I would when the time comes but at that moment I felt at ease knowing Cheryl was been taken care of, she was loved by my family and the long years of loathing between my family and the Mason had been buried, I was sure.

All I wanted was to see her, hug her, kiss her.
All that happened in my life was a great tragedy. I've sinned, for what I've done I would spend my life asking for God forgiveness but if you asked me to changed anything if I could, I know I wouldn't change a thing, because all that I went through was because Cheryl and I were meant to be together.