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Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 16
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3.8k words

(y/n)'s POV
I was alone, but not for long.

I sat in the island chair, and waited for my father to come through the front door. I had questions that have been itching in the back of my mind, since Anakin told me that it was my dad who arrested him over a year ago. And finally, after hearing the slamming of a truck door, and the sound of keys jingling into the lock—I was going to get those answers.

My front door pushed open, and my dad walked in with a wide yawn. He closed it behind him and rubbed his tired eyes as he began walking to the stairs—not noticing that I was down here waiting for him.

I dramatically cleared my throat and he paused with one foot on the bottom step. He tilted his head past the railing to look at me and furrowed his brows, "What are you doing awake this late?" He walked towards me instead of going up to bed.

"I was waiting for you actually," I revealed as he sat in the chair next to me, and I turned in mine so I was facing him.

"Oh?" He rested his elbow on the island, and laid his head in his palm, "Did everything go okay with your date?"

"Dad, I know that you know him," I went straight to the point without beating around the bush, and his eyes widened in surprise as he dropped his hand down onto the table, "What I don't get is why you pretended not to know him."

He sighed, "I wasn't sure if you knew the truth, and I didn't think it was my place to be the one to tell you." He shrugged. "He also had his sister with him, and I know that she doesn't know. I wasn't going to put him in front of you and her." He eyed me like I was insane.

"So you're okay with me seeing someone like him?" I questioned nervously.

I know he said before that he 'gave his blessing' but that could've easily been out of kindness since my dad isn't a confrontational man, for being a cop. He prefers to speak freely to me when no one else is around. He did that with Clovis, he was nice to his face out of respect for me, but spoke how he really felt about him when we were in private.

He was never a fan. I could have sworn I heard him cheering when I told him we broke up.

My dad remained quiet as he bit the inside of his cheek, "Normally no," He answered honestly without taking his eyes off of the table as he tapped his fingers in a row, "But Anakin is—different," He glanced up to meet my eyes that were similar in color to his own, "I've been a cop many years sweetie, and it's not difficult to know who the bad seeds are, and who aren't. They could rob an old woman and smash the window to a car, and I can still believe they're good kids. Some just get lost and need more guidance."

"Like Anakin," I spoke my thoughts.

My dad nodded, "Exactly like Anakin. Despite the horrible situation I found him in, I knew he wasn't a bad kid. He just made a stupid mistake, and trusted the wrong person." He sighed sympathetically as he no doubt relived the memory, "So that's why I'm okay with you seeing him. I know who he is, and I know he's filled with more good than bad. Plus he's a borderline genius according to his brother. He'll have a good job in the future and help you pay for a damn good retirement home for me." He joked with a smile, making me chuckle in amusement.

I took a drink of my iced water I had sitting next to me, "Do you think you can tell me about it? The day you got the call for him, I mean."

"Normally no," He echoed his words from earlier, "But since you're dating him, I guess it would be good for you to hear this, so you know exactly who you're having around you..."

Flashback in Richard (y/l/n)'s POV

I peered out of the front windshield with a heavy sigh, it was a slow night - surprisingly. The night before had been hectic, some of these kids and even adults are completely out of control.

I picked up my hot coffee and took a drink, savoring the bitter taste that woke me up just a bit more. I leaned my head back into my seat and gazed up at my visor, my eyes landing on a picture of my beautiful daughter - the person I vow to make it home to every night. I love what I do, I love helping people, but this is still a dangerous job. I've almost lost my life multiple times, which of course she doesn't know about; she stresses enough.

My attention was quickly drawn away from her when I heard the radio going off with a call involving an emergency at a local liquor store, it happened to be down the street from where I currently was. I responded that I was on my way, and turned on my sirens before speeding down the street.

In less than two minutes, I pulled into the small parking lot; noticing that no other police cruisers were on scene yet.

I cautiously came out of my vehicle with my gun raised, and scanned the area to be safe. There was no one outside the liquor store, no one inside of any of the outside vehicles, and all I could hear was a fear-filled sob that was heartbreaking enough to even affect me coming from inside.

I slowly stepped into the liquor store, and checked every corner before walking past it, but the place was empty - for the most part.

I followed the loud crying until I finally reached the counter. There was a gun laying on the floor in front of where I was standing, and I gently kicked it to hide it under a rack of chips as a precaution.

I peaked over the counter where the wailing was coming from and there was a young kid—no older than my own daughter—hysterically crying as he placed pressure on the gun shot wound on the clerks stomach.

"I'm sorry," The blonde boy sobbed while adjusting his pressure, determined to keep this man alive, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was loaded, I swear I didn't know. Please forgive me, I'm so sorry."

I lowered my gun slightly, but still held it elevated since I was unsure if he had anything else on him, "What happened here kid?"

His head snapped up, and his blue eyes had a deep red surrounding them from the amount of crying he'd been doing. I also had a small suspicion he was on something as well by how dilated his pupils were, "I'm sorry, I shot him," His whimpered, his voice was dripping with guilt, "I didn't mean to, I thought it was a joke, I didn't know it was loaded, he said it wasn't loaded!" He screamed and immediately turned his attention to the man who sounded like he was choking, "No, don't die. Please don't die." He broke down, and hung his head low.

My heart broke for the kid, it's obvious he got mixed up with someone he never should've been around. Plus with him being around the same age as my own child, makes this a little harder to see, "What's your name?" I spoke softly, to appear as his friend. I didn't want to scare him, all he'd do is shut down or even try to run.

"Anakin," He responded in a sniffle.

"Okay Anakin, do you have any weapons on you that I should know about?" I asked calmly as I began to slowly, and cautiously walk around the counter.

He shook his head without looking at me, "No, I don't have anything, I dropped the gun before running over here."

"Is anyone else here?" I glanced away and peered through the area that I had already checked.

He shook his head, "Is an ambulance coming?" He asked as he looked back up at me once I bent down next to him. I nodded as I put my gun away, no longer feeling like I was in danger by him. He doesn't seem violent, just terrified, "They're gonna save him right?" He asked in a soft whisper, his tone broken.

"They're gonna do everything they can," I assured him as I reached forward and placed my hand on his shoulder for comfort, "Was it you that called 911?" He nodded without giving a verbal response. I moved over to the other side of the clerk and took in his condition, "And you said that you were with someone else?" I moved his blood covered hands away so I can get a look at the damage to the mans stomach.

"No I didn't." He responded quickly. I glanced up and I knew he was lying to me, he said 'he' told him the gun wasn't loaded

I grabbed the cloth that he had been using, and I placed my own pressure on the wound. Someone as young as him shouldn't have ever had to do something like this, "Once the ambulance gets here kid, you know I'm going to have to arrest you." I already should have, it was in my training to do so. But something told me that he doesn't belong in cuffs, and I already knew he wasn't going to run. He would have as soon as it happened, and he never would've called 911.

He nodded, "I know, and I deserve it." He eyed the mans condition with sorrow.

I shook my head, and thankfully I could hear sirens from a distance getting closer, "You would've deserved it if you shot him and ran, you staying proves the kind of person you are." I gave the man on the floor my attention and I spoke to him, luckily I got a few responses to let me know that he was conscious, "And I'm pretty sure you saved this mans life, there's no way he would've survived if you hadn't been here to help him."

The scared boy didn't speak, he merely wiped under his bloodshot eyes and began crying again.

🤍

"Hey!" I grabbed my fellow officers shoulder, and nudged him away from the boy he was being too harsh with, "He's a kid, be more gentle." I scolded him with a head shake.

"Sorry Lieutenant," He mumbled as he side-eyed Anakin, who was fearfully looking up at him from the floor he was just pushed onto.

I rolled my eyes, "You're going to be if you don't start listening to everything I've been trying to teach you men," I held my hand out to the young kid, and he accepted my grasp without any hesitation, "Kids need guidance and understanding. They don't need to be treated like animals, because then that's exactly what they'll become." I spat in annoyance as I guided Anakin towards my cruiser.

I heard another mumbled apology from behind me, but I ignored it as I opened the back door for Anakin to get in. He held his wrists up, "Aren't you going to cuff me?"

I leaned my arm against the door, "You gonna attack me?"

He shook his head, "No."

"You gonna run away?"

"No."

"Then why should I cuff you? Get in." I gestured to the open door, and he did as I said without questioning me again. I closed the door behind him, and got into my drivers seat, "You hungry?" I asked as I put the car into motion.

"No." He responded quietly.

I was glad that he had finally stopped crying, but now he's hardly speaking.

"I figured not," I made a few turns, and drove towards a small diner anyway. One I go to with (y/n) often, it's her favorite, "But I've been doing this long enough to know that you're on something Anakin, and I would like to sober you up a little before we get to the station." I looked up into my rear view mirror to see his nervous eyes on me - until he quickly looked away, "Wanna be honest with me and tell me what you're on?"

"I don't know," He finally responded after a few silent seconds, "I didn't ask."

I nodded slowly, "Okay, where did you get it from? The person you were with that you claim you weren't with?" I asked knowingly, and his eyes snapped back up quickly as I stopped at a red light. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to, I already knew everything that happened. All I did was pay attention to everything he said, "This is what I've gathered," I remained in the same spot, despite the light turning green, but no other cars were around to motivate me to move, "This friend of yours, a terrible friend by the way, told you that he wanted to prank the clerk. He got you drugged up enough to agree and gave you a gun that he said wasn't loaded, even though it was. Then he encouraged you to pull the trigger; just as a scare." I finished telling my observation, and the look in his eyes said it all, I was right, "Long story short; you were used. He didn't want his hands dirty, so he put it on you instead. Then he left you there when you refused to leave."

He dropped his gaze back down with furrowed brows, and I saw his lip quiver, "How long have you been doing this?" He asked with a dry laugh to keep himself from breaking down again.

"Too long," I put the car into motion, "But not long enough to be a mind reader. I can help you get off easier if you just give me his name."

He shook his head, "I can't do that."

I sighed as I pulled into the diner and placed the car into park. I turned around so I didn't have to speak through a mirror, "Yes you can, what happened is his fault, not yours."

He picked at the leather seats before wiping under his eyes once more, avoiding my gaze, "I never should've agreed, so yes it is my fault," He sniffled quietly, "And I'm sorry but I can't tell you."

"Anakin, if you're scared for your safety, I can keep you safe." I assured him, "If you don't give me a name you're looking at being in jail until your twenty-first birthday. But if you cooperate; I'm good friends with the judges in this town, I can get you six months with community service."

He stubbornly shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I can't." He slowly met my eyes, his held a deep fear hidden behind them. Which makes me wonder who exactly this kid got mixed up with, although I will say I have one idea.

"Alright," I'm getting nowhere with him right now. I'm only hoping that later when he's sober and is in his right mind, I'll be able to get more out of him, "What can I get you from here?" I gestured to the diner.

"You're not going to get in trouble for not taking me straight to the station?" He asked with knitted brows.

I shook my head, "I'm the Lieutenant, what are they gonna say when I'm baidlaky the boss?" I shrugged, "So what would you like?"

He bit his lip in thought, "Do they have blueberry pancakes?"

I smiled with a nod, "It's what my daughter gets all the time." I informed him of that useless fact, but many already know that talking about my daughter is one my favorite things to do, "If she chooses not to get french toast," I chuckled, "She's weird and enjoys having breakfast for dinner."

"You have a daughter?" He asked curiously.

"I do," I pulled the picture of her from my visor and turned it in his direction, "She's the same age as you, fifteen."

His eyes darted to the picture, and his tears stopped for a second as he scanned the image of my pride and joy, "She's very beautiful." He commented before looking away and leaning his back into the backseat, "Can I ask you something?" He mumbled quietly.

"Go ahead." I waited.

"If she did what I did; would you forgive her? Would you love her any less or look at her differently?" He asked, and his voice cracked towards the end.

I already knew why he was asking, it's about his older brother. Who I learned became his guardian after his mom passed away, and his dad left. We had a bit of small talk as we waited for the ambulance, I was trying to get his mind off of where he was, "I would forgive her, and no, I would never love her any less; or look at her differently. Just like your brother won't." I assured him, and he gazed back up with new tears in his eyes, "Will he be upset? Yes, that I can guarantee. But he won't hate you, he loves you unconditionally."

Anakin nodded and wiped under his eyes, "Thanks."

I half-smiled, "The doors only open from the outside, and this barrier between us is strong so there's no point in trying to get out. But I trust you'll behave," I opened my car door to get him some dinner, "Be back in a bit."

🤍

"I can't do this," He cried as I walked him through the station, and his gaze landed on a man who was talking to another officer. I can only assume that's his brother, "He's gonna hit me, or yell at me, or just disown me all together." He panicked.

I raised my brows, "Has he ever hit you or yelled at you before?"

"No, but there's a first time for everything." He hid behind me.

I couldn't help but smile, even in this horrible situation. I walked toward the man whose gaze turned to me, and he glanced down, probably taking notice to the shoes following closely behind me.

He didn't look angry, or even upset, he looked worried, "Anakin," He called to the boy behind me, and I moved out of the way, so he could see him. He sighed with sorrow as he took in his little brothers blood covered appearance, "Oh Anakin, come here," He pulled the him into a tight hug.

Anakin immediately broke down for the hundredth time tonight. Poor kid has been through more than someone his age should, "I'm so sorry Obi-Wan, I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"It's okay," Obi-Wan gently rubbed his little brothers as his voice cracked, "I know you didn't, we'll figure it out, okay? I promise, we'll figure it out."

"I thought you'd hate me," Anakin cried into his shoulder.

"I could never hate you, I love you," Obi-Wan promised, and his watered eyes met mine, "He's not a bad kid, he's a smart and good kid who made a mistake. There has to be something you can do."

I nodded, "I'll do everything I can to help him."

Flashback ends

(y/n)'s POV
"I tried to get him off easy, but without him turning this friend of his in; there wasn't much I could do," My father sighed as he folded his arms, "He was looking at five years, but he only got two because the clerk he shot and saved, spoke in favor of him. He even removed certain charges, I think he felt sorry for him, well everyone did."

I wiped my own tears away as he finished his story, my poor Anakin..knowing a summary of what happened is different from getting the actual story, and it was heartbreaking to think of him in that helpless situation.

But then something hit me, "You said you showed him a picture of me?"

He nodded as he grabbed my water and finished it, normally I get annoyed by that kind of thing; but I had something important on my mind, "Yes, he called you beautiful." He smiled proudly.

"Weird," I knitted my brows together, "He said he didn't know who I was when we met."

"He probably didn't remember butterfly," My father tried to reason with my paranoid mind, "He had a lot going on that night, and not to mention he was on heroin. He probably only saw a blob with colors and said you were beautiful to be kind." He shrugged after expressing his rational thoughts.

I nodded although I still felt unsure, and I blame Clovis for this. I'm having a hard time being trusting and I hate it because Anakin has been nothing but good to me.

"I know what you're thinking, and trust me sweetie, Anakin is a sweet kid. He's nothing like that trash—sorry, garbage—sorry again, boy that you dated before." He smiled wide as I burst out into laughter at his comments towards my ex, "Just talk to him about your concerns when you see, there's no need to get yourself worked up over nothing."

"I will," I continued giggling as I hopped off of the stool to get to bed, "There's something else I wanted to ask though," I spoke and he nodded for me to continue, "You said you had an idea of who used Anakin that day, can I ask who your theory is?"

"If you keep it to yourself and not mention it to him," He negotiated, and I crossed my heart to signify my silence. Something we've done since I was little, "I don't know which one exactly, but there's this small gang of juveniles who do a little more menacing than the other greaser gangs," His face grew slightly angry as he spoke, "They call themselves The Reapers so if you ever hear that name, turn the other way—they're nothing but trouble."

"So you think it was them?" I tilted my head curiously, I feel like I've heard of them before, and nothing good.

"One of them yes," He sighed as he bit the inside of his cheek in thought, "But Anakin was too scared to talk so my theory is staying as that, a theory." He stood up from the island chair with a stretch, "Alright it's time for bed butterfly."

I allowed him to lead me out of the kitchen, but my mind was elsewhere, maybe I can get Anakin to tell me who was with him that day.

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Writing for this story makes me happy ♥️
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