My fingers trembled around the slip of paper, forcing me to drop it. I watched in float to the ground in absolute silence, my eyes slowly shifting to my scenery. Everything except my diary remained intact, as if someone had come into the apartment with a set agenda.

I cautiously made my way down the hall, peeking into Damon's room seconds before stepping in. The only sign of entry in the room was the middle drawer of Damon's nightstand sitting open. My heart sped up at the sound of the floorboard creaking, my hand grasping the knife tighter in my hand as I whirled around and swung. A hand caught my wrist in mid-air and forced me to drop it.

"Okay, McKenzie. You seriously need to chill, it's just me." Ryder was staring down at me with a quizzical look. "Now tell what the hell you're doing here."

"I came to see Damon." I admitted. "But he's gone and I don't know where he is."

Ryder ran a hand through his thick, dark hair, eying Damon's room skeptically. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"This morning." I looked toward the open front door.

"Did he give any indication he wasn't going to be here? A call, a text, anything?" Ryder went on, checking his own phone.

I checked the spare room for any chance he may have been hiding out in it, but the room was just as empty as it had been the first time I was here. Leaning into the door frame, my eyes fell on the cracked window, heart sinking.

If Craig had gotten a hold of Damon, that meant that they were likely still close by keeping an eye on me, not having any idea of what Damon may have said.

"Damon's family, what's their address?" I asked, shooting Ryder a quick look.

He scratched the back of his head. "I don't think he's with his family, McKenzie."

"I don't either." I straightened out, "But they might have some sort of idea as to where he might be."

Ryder still looked hesitant. "Look, I don't think-"

"Ryder, I need you to either drop me off there or give me their addresses." I snapped. "If you can't help me, then please go home. I don't want you to get hurt."

He gripped my shoulder, "McKenzie, I need you to tell me what Damon got himself mixed up in this time."

"I can't, Ryder. You don't understand." I met his dark eyes. "The less you know, the less likely you are to be dragged into it."

"McKenzie." he started to give in.

"Ryder." I responded just as sternly.

Finally, he broke down and grabbed my phone, his fingers darting across the keyboard. "Here's there address and my number. Please be careful, McKenzie."

*

I waited in the lot for a few minutes before slowly pulling out, keeping an eye on my mirrors to ensure I wasn't being followed. At one point, I even pulled along the side of the road to be absolutely positive. When I finally slowed along the curb outside the Fox manor, I stared at the Victorian style building for a few moments.

I was about to talk to the family that had pretty much abandoned Damon and left him to fend for himself. Letting me know if they had any idea where he used to run away too would be the least they could do.

I kept an eye over both shoulders as I hurried up the driveway. When I reached the front porch, I pressed the door bell repeatedly, hoping it would annoy them enough to answer the door right away. A middle aged man opened the door, greeting me with an irritable look. It was startling how much Damon resembled hm. They shared the same sharp jawline and pointed nose, the same bright, piercing blue eyes that peered into your soul. The man cleared his throat, tightening the white robe he wore.

"Can I help you?"

"Mr. Fox?" I questioned.

He shrugged a shoulder. "Depends on who's asking. I have two boys who share the name."

"Are either of them here?" I shifted my weight to one side.

"Derek!" the man through his head back and shouted.

A boy jogged down the steps, no more than a couple years older than me.

He bore a striking resemblance to his father as well. "Hey."

Derek's eyes analyzed me for a second. "Do I know you?"

"Maybe." I smiled a little. "Can we talk in private for a second?"

He nodded, ushering his father back inside. Once in, I wrapped my fingers around Derek's wrist. "Do you know where Damon is?"

I saw realization light his familiar eyes. "Why the hell would I know where my little brother is? I haven't seen him in years."

I could tell just by the slight waver in his voice that he was lying. "Derek, do you have any idea where it was that Damon would run away to before and after he was kicked out?"

"Sweetheart, even if I did I wouldn't tell you. My brother is friends with some pretty shitty people, you'll end up hurt, or dead." Derek smiled sadly. "I can give you a place to lay your head for the night if you don't want to drive back to the other side of town."

"Derek, please." I grasped his arm again. "I think he's in danger and I need to find him."

The older Fox brother pinched the bridge of his nose, heaving out a heavy sigh.

"You need to stop trying to save my brother from himself." he said flatly.

"I need you to tell me where the God Damn address is, Derek." I snarled. "Just because you and your family don't give a shit about your brother doesn't mean I don't."

Derek held my gaze. "You probably think my brother can give you the world, sweetie, but his own is caving in on him. He's too far gone to be brought back. I'm sorry."

"The address." I repeated.

He threw his head back in exasperation.

"Damon told me not to give it to you, McKenzie." he finally managed to get out.

I blinked a few times to make sure I'd heard him right before I shrugged. "I don't care. I need the address, Derek."

"It's the last house on the right of Edmund Drive. The place sticks out like a sore thumb, all run down and shit." he started back up his porch steps. "And McKenzie?"

I lifted my head and waited for him to go on. "Yeah?"

"Try and get my brother out of this alive." without as much as a goodbye, he shook his head and shut his front door so loud it quite possibly sent a shock wave throughout the silent neighborhood.

*

I don't know how long I sat in the car outside of Craig's house, watching people pouring in and out. My heart jumped in my chest every time someone stepped out, praying that by some miracle Craig would release Damon unharmed. I toyed with the idea of calling the police, but I knew without any doubt I'd hear them put a bullet through Damon if they heard sirens.

Bracing myself, I climbed out of my car, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment and inhaling. As I let out a shaky sigh, I pried them open and started across the street. I caught sight of Bax's hunched figure through the open door, his hand in his hair.

I jogged up the steps and into the house. Bax and the guy he was talking to looked back at the door at the sound of my loud footsteps. I saw his lip curl a fraction at the sight of me.

"What are you doing here?" he grabbed me roughly and backed me against a wall, ignoring his friends questioning look.

"Where's Damon?" I tried to break free of his grip, but it was far too strong.

Bax dragged me out the front door, eyes everywhere but me. "You need to get out of here, girl."

"Bax, where is-"

"Get out of here." he hissed, grabbing my face roughly in his hands. "You are going to get yourself killed."

I stared at him, my vision beginning to blur. "If you care about Damon, you'll let me in."

"If you live the way I do, girl, you learn not to care about people. You don't get attached." he retorted. "But I didn't sign up to watch Craig kill innocent girl after innocent girl. Please leave, I'm sorry you can't save your boyfriend, but sometimes life just doesn't work out the way you want it to. He got himself into this shit and now he has to deal with it, not drag you into it too."

"Bax, please." I pleaded.

"What are you doing standing around out here, Baxter?" a gravelly voice broke through our conversation. Bax grew stiff, hands still cupping my cheeks. "Why don't you invite our guest in?"

Dropping his hands, he turned a little so I had a clear view of the silhouette of the tall man standing in the doorway.

"Well, don't just stand there." Craig cocked his head. "Come in." 

***AN***

*Unedited*

I stayed up way longer than I should of writing this haha. I hope you guys enjoyed! What do you think of Derek (Damon's brother)? And what about Bax? How do you think Micky is going to get out of this one?

Let me know what you guys think/thought!

~ChasingMadness24