☠︎︎ 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲 - 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐲 ☠︎︎

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𝑻𝑨𝑳𝑰𝑨

My eyes slowly began to open as I began to pat the cold sheets noticing for the first time in a long time my husband wasn't asleep next to me and sighed.

I knew what was going on.

He was mentally going through it due to the events that took place yesterday.

I felt so bad. I didn't really know what to say, so I just held him last night.

But, it didn't stop him from stressing about the facts and he seemed lost within the current madness that had slowly begun to erupt throughout the town.

Sighing, I slipped from the comforter allowing my feet to touch the cold wooden floors causing a light shudder to buzz throughout my body.

I then grabbed my robe, pulling it over my body before walking out of me and Gray's room going over to Gracie's gently opening the door seeing she was -as I expected- still asleep. I felt a small smile peer across my lips as I watched her sleep. It sucked that she wasn't a small child anymore and it was like each birthday I missed it more and more.

I still remember being in the delivery room watching Grayson hold her with tears in his eyes and that same smile that filled my universe each day.

I couldn't wait to see her face when we finally revealed to her that she had a brother or sister on the way. All she wanted was to have brothers and sisters and now it was a solid chance that was possible.

Softly, closing her door I then went on the hunt to find Grayson before hearing a faint noise in the bedroom we had set up a few years back when I had lasted more than a few weeks with my last pregnancy.

Opening the door I saw Grayson was, in fact, in the room sitting against the wall with his head resting on his knees as he held one of the stuffed animals that once lay in the crib.

"Grayson..." I called softly as I walked to him slowly

"Baby, baby." I then said while kneeling in front of him and placing my hand on the back of his shoulder causing him to look at me with tired eyes

"You did the right thing." I consoled moving my hands to his cheeks with a small pursed-lip smile

Grayson then gently grabbed my hand, leaning his head to the side to kiss it gently before closing his eyes tightly and smiling slightly while saying, "You should be sleeping"

I then smiled and pressed my lips against his as he pulled me into his arms.

"I have to go to the funeral home to talk with Kyle's wife. I just want to apologize and check on her." Grayson said as he rubbed his eyes with a heavy sigh

"Do you think that's a good idea, baby, especially since everything has been so recent?" I asked as I rubbed his cheek

"What kind of man would I be if I didn't?" He then asked before moving my hair from my eyes

"I'll be back to take you guys out around five maybe even before, I promise," Grayson said after kissing my forehead

𝑮𝑹𝑨𝒀𝑺𝑶𝑵

The walk into the funeral home was long. I didn't know what to feel, or how to.

I keep thinking about what I could've done differently. I didn't have to shoot him in the chest, but when his finger inched further toward that trigger all I could picture was my wife and my little girl.

Hell, even when he pointed that gun at me all I could think of was the pain and hurt that would bring upon my family, and knowing now that Talia was pregnant it only made my heart wince more as I recalled those moments.

But, I was here not for anyone's pity yet because this was an act of decency. I had enough of my conscience. Not facing her would just add to it.

"Sheriff, perhaps now is not the best time." The funeral director, Mike, insisted as he placed his hand on my shoulder to stop me from walking further to Martha and her eldest son Adrian before they noticed I was present

"She had called with some questions. I came down to answer 'em" I lied causing him to nod and leave the room as I began walking toward them once again causing them to turn once noticing my footsteps

"Settle down, Adrian," Martha told her son as he sent me daggers and as he began to step toward me she placed her hand on his chest to stop him

The tension was dense as well as awkward, understandably, but I had to get this off my chest.

"Martha...I'm so sorry." I finally voiced as tears began to fill her eyes

"What was he doing out there?" She asked amid her voice breaking

"I don't know, Martha, he just showed up...I thought he was drunk bu-" I began to state before she cut me off saying, "Jackson quit two years ago. Everyone knew how proud he was of that!"

"Is that what you're going around saying? You're telling the town he was drunk to make yourself feel better about murdering my husband!" She sneered with her tears now falling

"No, I-" I tried to reason before she slapped me and huffed, "You're nothing but a murderer with a badge! Shame on you!"

Martha and her son then rushed out of the room leaving me there a bit unsettled by her words until I took it on the chin.

I couldn't stop the way she was feeling. I could only try to send my condolences.

But, I had come to a place mentally that when it came to protecting my family's peace of mind against everyone else. I'd pick my family without hesitation each time.

And, that's okay. I'm at peace with that.

I had one person to answer to pertaining to the way I feel about my family and it definitely wasn't a soul on this planet.

That was all that seemed to be on my mind after I had left the funeral home making the short drive over to the station.

When I finally had made it into the station it was eerily silent until I spotted why.

Carter was carefully analyzing what I had finally seen as I got closer.

Kyle was lying on the floor of the cell as rigid as a pole with a blood trail running from his nose. I had then begun examining him just as closely staying out of their sight as Carter before picking up something he didn't.

Kyle was toying with Carter. His breathing was obscure at first glance but I caught his game the moment he lost control of his forced and halted breathing which led to his chest rising quicker the moment Carter began reaching for the cell key.

"Shit!" Car said lowly a bit startled the moment I grabbed his hand to stop him from opening the cell

"Hang on a second," I replied beginning to bend a bit watching as he lay stiff on the ground

That's when I noticed his face. It was hideous. His entire face was white as snow with bulging veins poking through his features and his eyes were clouded almost as if he were going blind.

"Is he dead?" Carter asked with furrowed eyebrows

"Watch his chest..." I then said with a sharp expression

A few seconds then passed before Kyle jumped to his feet, thrusting his arms through the metal bars of the cell while screaming like a madman causing Carter to jump back as a reflex as I stepped back when it happened.

"Jesus Christ!" Carter yelped

"Did we or did we not request a transfer for him this morning?" I then asked knowingly while staring at the deranged man in front of us

Carter didn't answer instead gulped in response.

I then rushed out of the backroom that contained the cellblocks before heading to my office and swiftly picking up the phone dialing Sergeant Bowers' office.

That's until I noticed the line was dead.

"Goddamn it!" I mumbled before leaving my office and going to one of my deputy's desks and dialing the number again only this time with the line saying it was busy

"Great." I chuckled

I then got on the computer before noticing the internet was also down.

"What the fuck is going on?" I then said while stressfully running my hand through my hair

"Look, Grayson, it's getting late go home and take Talia and Gracie to the carnival...I'm going to round up the boys and we are going to see what's up." Carter then said placing his hand on my shoulder

"Call me right away if anything else happens?!" I replied causing him to nod

"I'm the undersheriff remember?" Car said causing me to laugh and shake my head

"I'm serious, man," I said as I grabbed my keys

"You got it, Chief!" He replied as I walked out the door

I'm so glad I made Car promise to kick me out of the station no matter what at a certain time because I had broken my promise to them once and didn't intend to do it again.

But, then again, Carter has been a great friend to me and Talia since college so he'd make sure that promise didn't get broken even if the station was burning down.

You learn to appreciate friends like him. They were rare.

"Dad! Please!" Gracie pleaded as she stopped in front of the booth pouting like the baby she is on the inside

"No! She's already trying to use me!" I said playfully as I leaned my head on Talia's shoulder and placed my hand on my chest

"I want the dinosaur! Please! You can hit the targets, I can't!" She persisted in a needy fashion still pouting as she hugged me tightly

"Well, Mom wants a turkey drumstick so we need to figure this out!" Talia then insisted

"Alright, Alright! Dad is to the rescue...again." I said placing kisses on each of their heads as Gracie practically dragged us over to the booth that read 'Aim. Shoot. Bullseye!' in bright and bold letters

"Step up for your chance to win big!" The man who ran the booth announced to those who passed by before noticing us walking toward his set-up

"How may I help you all?!" The man exclaimed happily as he clasped his hands together

"One game please," I replied as I handed him the tickets to play

"One game it is!" He then said as I stepped to the podium

"Alright, the objective of the game is to hit as many targets as you can! Hit 2 for a small-sized prize, hit 5 for a medium-sized prize, hit 10 for a large-sized prize and if you clear all targets you win two large-sized prizes!" The man explained with a small as I nodded

Okay. So, one for Gracie and one for the baby.

"Go, Dad!" Gracie cheered

"Go, Grayson!" Talia added causing me to smile at the both of them as I picked up the pellet gun

"Ready! Set! Go!" The man announced before the targets began to move back and forth

They were a bit quicker than I would have expected but it was fine, nothing I couldn't handle.

Taking a deep breath I then began aiming a bit ahead of the moving targets before knocking them off precisely one by one.

"Wooo!" My girls cheered as I continued to clear the targets

I then shot down the last one before throwing my arms up happily as I turned to them doing a slight bow while saying, "And, that's how it's done!"

"Step up and choose your prizes folks!" The man then announced in shock causing me to laugh lowly

Wait, until he found out I was actually the Sheriff and was trained beyond shooting targets.

"The dinosaur please!" Gracie yelped as she stepped up with the biggest smile she could conjure causing the man to grab this huge plush dinosaur and hand it to her

"What do you want, baby?" I asked Talia as I wrapped my arm around her

"I want the unicorn." She happily beamed causing me to groan with a smile

"Watch this backfire," I mumbled knowing she knew what I meant as the man handed me the extra-large unicorn

"Now! To the food truck!" Talia then said causing me to laugh as we made our way over to the truck that was nothing but a short walk away

"Alright, you two sit with our new friends and I'll go grab food! What do you guys want?" I asked as Talia sat on the picnic table bench while Gracie propped up the stuffed animals on the other side of the table leaving me to laugh at the sight

"I want a turkey drumstick and fries with soda please and thank you!" Talia said while smiling

"Noted. Gracie?" I replied turning to my daughter

"Cotton candy, fried Oreos, and funnel cake!" She answered

I wanted to laugh at the fact they were both craving things they didn't really eat normally or usually would eat a small portion of, but I kept it in.

"Okay, you're going to be up all night." I then said as I went to the truck's ordering station thankful they weren't busy

The wait was swift and before I knew it I was making a quick trip back to our nearby table.

"I have food and sweets!" I announced causing them both to gasp and me to laugh as I sat their orders in front of them before sitting

"Thank you, baby," Talia said as she placed a kiss on my cheek before beginning to stuff her face

"Thank you, Dad." Gracie then said as she smiled like a kid in a candy store before stuffing her face as well

"So, I was thinking one week we go down to Florida for Disney or something this Summer," I said tonelessly as I took a bite of my turkey hearing them both happily murmur

"That sounds amazing!" Gracie said with a smile full of Oreos

"That's our kid!" I joked as I pointed over at our red-faced daughter causing Talia to laugh as she rubbed Gracie's head

"Yeah, whatever, but, I've been meaning to ask you guys something pretty huge!" Gracie said catching me and Talia's attention quickly

"And, that is?" Talia asked while covering her mouth

"Well...I got asked out-" She said causing my eyes to go wide at the first part alone

"Grayson, calm down." Talia then said while chuckling lowly halting Gracie's statement as they both began to laugh at me

"By who?" I asked with serious Grayson now making a special appearance

"A girl in my Science class," Gracelynn replied causing me to nod

"When?" I then asked as Gracie laughed now boisterously while replying, "Next Friday."

"Okay, you can go..." I sighed with a playful sniffle

"Tell her she breaks your heart she deals with your Mom" Talia then added causing me to nod

"What Mama said," I said as I began to wipe my hands looking over at Talia who was looking at the remainder of my food

Beginning to laugh I then held the turkey up to her mouth causing her to take the last bite before pecking my lips and starting to chew.

"I hope you two aren't hoping to ride anything for the next 30 minutes because someone's tummy is going to flip," I said as they began wiping their hands now finished with their carnival snacks

"Let's go put up NumNum and his cousin and it's on!" Gracie rebutted referring to her dinosaur and the unicorn

Me and Talia just burst out in laughter at the name our daughter had decided to give her new stuffed animal before grabbing the unicorn as Gracie did the dinosaur as we began making the walk to the parking lot to put them in the car so they wouldn't get dirty or left behind.

"So, why NumNum?" Talia snickered as me and Gracie began putting the stuffed animals in the back seat

"Because, NumNum!" Gracie replied vaguely while shrugging her shoulders causing me to laugh once again before I heard gunshots ring out along with screaming causing me to immediately pull them both toward me

"Get in the car." I then said causing them to do so as people began to rush out the front entrance in a frenzy

"What's going on?!" They began to ask as I unlocked the glove compartment grabbing my gun and badge

"I don't know. You and Gracie go home and stay there." I said seeing Gracie was getting scared

"It's okay, Birdy, calm down." I consoled forcing a smile before kissing her forehead

"Grayson, I'm not leaving without you!" Talia rebutted

"Yes, you are now!" I retorted handing her the keys before leaning past Gracelynn and pressing a kiss against Talia's lips, placing the keys in her hand as silent tears began to fall from her eyes

"I love you two. Leave, now!" I then said before closing the passenger side door

I had seen that look in Talia's eyes before, but never in Gracie's, and for it to be that same look from them both at the same time was even more heartbreaking.

But, I had to check this out, I owed it to all the other families out there depending on help where it was helpless and they couldn't be with me when I did.

A/N: Hey, loves! How are you guys feeling? You all ready? It's time for shit to really go down! But, did you all like the carnival sequence? (I love writing about carnivals lol) What do you all think is happening next though?! Remember to vote, comment, share, follow me, and add to your library!! Love yaaa🖤🖤🖤

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: bnanarama ♡︎