16 - Mark IV

Jackson follows me behind as we run out the dorm and into the car. Although I'm shaking in fear, I manage to turn the ignition and head towards the station. It only takes a few minutes for us to get there. Jackson immediately gets out of the car and runs in the building. 

"Who is it?" Jackson is already talking to the police officer when I get in. 

"We didn't find any identification in her. She's not Korean though." The cop answers. "Somebody's already claiming her body as we speak."

Oh? 

"Can we see it?" Jackson asks. 

I still can't find my voice. I'm just nervous as hell. After Jackson told me that somebody took Cris last night, I don't know what to think anymore. This is all my fault. If I didn't leave her that day, none of this would've happened. She should be safe in my arms and nothing and no one could ever harm her. 

"Sure." The officer takes us to the morgue, just the building next to it. And when I enter, it's like everything disappears and I only see her. She's here. She's bent down on the body, crying. 

"Babe? Cris?" That's the only time words leave my mouth. "Cris? Cristina." I quickly run to her, taking her in my arms as I sob in relief. "Babe, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry about everything," my arms around her tighten as both of us continue to cry. "Everything's gonna be ok, baby."

I missed her. Like crazy. The three months I've had without her was torture. I don't know what I have to do and how I'd do it to make everything alright again. I can feel her sorrow, her fear, and her anger. 

There's just one thing in my mind right now. I have to protect her no matter what. I just want her to stay here in my arms. I don't want to let go. 

"Cristina." Jackson comes in and all that disappear as the girl I so want to protect leaves my embrace and runs to the boy behind me. Hurt? Of course. But, more than that, I know I deserve it. I turn around and look at them. She wraps her arms around him as he does the same to her. 

"Jackson!" She says his name and it's the first time I hear her voice after so long. I'm crying inside and out, watching her back. I didn't even get to see her face earlier cause she wouldn't even look at me. 

"Sssshhh. It's ok." I hear Jackson whisper as he strokes her hair. "You're ok. I was worried. I thought ... " What I would do to be the one to say those words. After what happened, I know I don't have the right anymore. 

"Get me out of here, Jackson," She cries. He glances at me before carrying her and taking her out the room. I should be the one doing that, too. 

I follow them out and grab Jackson's arm. "I'll take it from here, Jackson."

He puts her down and faces me, anger in his face. "Says who?"

"Mark!"

I have to turn around at the very familiar voice. "Yes?" I didn't even notice there was another person in the room with us earlier. He takes off his cap and I gasp. "E...Ed? You're alive?" I'm not sure if I'm just seeing things or I'm going crazy with all the things that have happened recently. But, it is him. Even with the burn marks on his face, I recognize him. It's Lara's dad. Isn't he supposed to be dea? "How?" I immediately go to Cristina, shielding her from the man. Was he the one that took her last night? "What are you doing here?"

The old man sighs, "Can we discuss this later? We need to get out of here before Sean would know both of you are here." He knows Sean is here? What is he scheming again?

"Don't come any closer," I take a step back, grabbing Cristina's hand as Ed comes closer. 

"What's going on here?" Jackson asks, clearly confused at what's happening.

"Jackson, go get the car," I take the keys of the car out of my pocket and toss it at him as I tighten my hold on Cris. I push her backwards towards the exit, not taking my eyes off the man. 

"I'm here to help, ok?" He's saying. "Mark, c'mon. I'm really sorry. But, we can talk later. For now, we have to get out of here."

Help? Is he seriously thinking I'd fall for that shit? We're already at the door. I quickly turn around and follow Cris to the car. 

"You drive," I tell Jackson as I get in at the backseat with Cristina.

"Where to?"

"The dorm." I can't risk another person with us. Jackson doesn't have anything to do with this. Taking him with us would just complicate things even more. I look at Cristina then. It's the first time again that I'm looking at her face this close. I've missed this face. Although I'd prefer her smile rather than the expression she has on right now. "Why were you with him? Was he the one who took you last night? What did he want?" I ask her, not being able to stop my voice from shaking in fear. 

"Mark. Let go." She hits my hand, freeing herself from my grasp. She looks away and I hold onto her shoulders again, turning her to look at me. 

"Cris, what were you doing with Lara's dad?" I ask. 

"What do you care?" She rolls her eyes at me. 

"Can you not give me that attitude now?" My voice gets louder. I know she's angry, but it's not the right time to be stubborn. 

"Attitude?" She raises an eyebrow, chuckling sarcastically. "Stop the car!" 

"No, Jackson. Drive!" I yell at him, looking straight at Cristina's eyes. "What the fuck were you doing with Ed?"

"He said he wants to help, OK?" She shouts back.

"And you believe him?" I can't believe this. 

"Do you think I'm that stupid? Do you think I had a choice? He took me last night if you haven't heard yet." She furrows her brows. "Why are you here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your wedding? Huh, MARK?"

I know I have a lot of explaining to do. But, as I've said earlier, it's not the right time to do it. There are more important things here than just me pathetically apologizing and letting her take me back. 

"We're here." Jackson says. 

"Out." I tell him, going up front to take the wheel. I immediately start it, leaving Jackson baffled, watching the car speed away. "We can't take him with us." I tell Cris who's glaring at me wide-eyed from the backseat. 

"What the fuck! MARK! Where the fuck are you taking me?" She yells, hitting my back. "Let me out."

"I can't. I have to get you out of here." I tell her, stepping on the gas to make the car run faster. I look through the mirror when she doesn't talk and I see tears flowing down her eyes. She pops something in her mouth as she rests her head on the backrest of the chair. What is it? I want to ask her that. I want to ask her a lot of things. But, I stop myself. My heart aches as I watch her silently cry behind me. 

We get to the hotel. I already got a message that the men my dad sent are here. I get out and open the door for her. "Let's go."

"Why should I go with you?" Here she is with her stubbornness again. 

"Damn it, Cris. Can you just listen to me and follow." I take a deep breath, controlling my anger. She stands at the other side of the car. "Please, Cristina." I lay my head on the hood of the car. "FUCK!" At this rate, Sean would surely catch up with us. I think I've seen him outside the morgue earlier. I'm just not sure. I take out my phone and call the men to help me with her. And then I face her again. "I know you're angry right now. You have all the right to be, Cristina. But, you know it's not the time to talk about that." I try to explain to her. "There are more important things we're dealing with at this moment. Just ....please, Cris. Trust me, just for this. Please."

"Trust?" Her sarcastic chuckle again. "Do you know what that word means, Mark? Fuck! Just take me back to the morgue. Nothing is more important to me than Trey right now."

"I can't. You have to stay with me so I can keep you safe. Can you just come with me? PLEASE, CRISTINA. We can't ....."

We both turn our heads to the speeding motorcycle coming our way. I immediately run to Cristina. It's Sean. I know it's him. He really was the one I saw earlier. Shit. Where are those men?

Cristina's on the ground when I get to her. "Cris. Babe!" I take her in my arms and the first thing I feel is the warm wet liquid coming out of her back. FUCK! "Babe!" I pull her closer to me as there are more gun fires I hear. I close my eyes, hugging her tight as my tears fall. "I'm sorry, baby. Just...please. Don't die on me now. Please. I love you, Cristina. Don't leave me like this."

The shooting finally stops. I see Sean's bike in a distance as it hits one of the posts. Sean is a few meters away from it, laying on the ground, lifeless. Two men run towards it while I hear some coming our way. 

"Over here." I yell, "Help. We need to take her to the hospital." I carry her and two other men help me to the car. I lay her on my lap, holding her close to me as we speed to the nearest hospital. 

Cristina. Baby. Please.

My tears won't stop flowing, falling on her. 

_____

"You awake?" 

I open my eyes and realize I'm in a private room in the hospital. There are four men standing beside my bed, all looking worried. 

"We just called your dad." 

"Cris?" I immediately get up, taking off the tubes running through me. I try to stand up, but my leg gives in under me. 

"Mark." One of the men runs beside me, helping me up from the floor. "What are you doing? Stay on bed." 

"No. I have to go see her. Where is she?" I ask them, holding onto him to keep me up. 

"She's still in the OR." Another one answers for me. I look at the time and it's already been more than five hours since we came to the hospital. 

"Take me there." I order the man beside me. They look at each other, hesitating. "NOW." I yell. They call the nurse and request for a wheel chair. 

We get there just when the door opens and the doctor comes out. 

"How is she?" I ask, my heart beat racing, fearing for the worst, hoping for the best. 

"Where's her guardian?" She asks, looking at me and then my leg. "Were you the one who took her here?"

I nod. 

She sighs, sitting on the chair near me. I get nervous again as I see the expression on her face. "She's lucky the bullet strayed away from her heart. Although she's stable now, we can't really know until she wakes up." 

I feel like I'm gonna pass out soon, my energy leaving me. I feel my hands trembling. 

"We'll be taking her to her room in an hour."

____

I request for a bigger room so I can stay with her. As soon as they take her in the room, I stay beside her, holding her hand and crying. 

"Mark, I can't contact your dad." One of the men says after hanging up. 

"Have you tried Cris' dad?" I ask without looking up. Although Sean is already out of the picture, there's still his dad. Not to mention, Lara's dead is still alive and is here in Seoul. 

"Still nothing on him."

"Call Jason." I instruct him. 

"Fuck. What happened?" Jason is on the other line. 

"Sean." I simply answer. "Any word from Noe or Emily?" I ask him. 

"Nothing yet."

Damn it! I tell him to contact any of Trey's parents and inform them what happened. I also ask him to call Cris' mom. 

"Will do. Anything else?" He asks. 

"I'll call you if anything." I hang up, giving the phone back to the man standing beside me. 

I turn back to the girl on the bed when I feel movement. "Babe?"

Her eyes open slowly. She stares at me, furrowing her brows. "Who are you?"