Chapter Text
The house cracked and popped as the flames tore through the furniture as if it was made of tissue paper. Window's smashing loudly as the wind whipped harshly around him, eyes vacant of any emotion. Two bodies lay behind him, one long since gone, her skin shining dimly in the raging fire. The other, lungs still gasped softly for air that refused to sink itself into his throat, to give him what his body so desperately needed. Walls began to crumble beneath their own weight, dust and debris flying out onto the pool deck. A wretched cough splitting through the air before the body finally stilled. His head turned slowly, dark hazel eyes trailing over the kid. Barely an adult and his life had been snuffed away, like slamming the lid onto a burning candle, watching the flame flicker away slowly until nothing but smoke remained.
His brothers were either dead, or ran off. Phone completely silent from where it sat in his right front pocket. They wouldn't be dumb enough to try and contact him knowing everyone would be tapping into their calls. J would've gotten away with everything, a kid with a clean record, born to a mother abandoned by her own family. A drug addiction until it consumed her entire being. Unfortunately, J wouldn't get the chance to be so lucky, surrounded by beautiful women all the time, no worries in the world.
No.
Instead he's bleeding out onto the cool stone of the back yard, feet resting still in the warmth of the pool water. Eyes dull and lifeless as the world around him raged on, the fire finishing the job as the foundation of the house cracked further.
Andrew lifted his head slowly, ignoring the two bodies once more before making a final decision. Even if Deran, or Craig managed to survive outrunning the police, where would they even be able to escape to? Getting out of the country would be nearly impossible, not unless they found a way to sneak into a plane. That was a quick one way ticket to getting thrown back into prison though, so maybe not that.
Andrew's eyes widened, he'd need to find somewhere far, far away from all of this. Somewhere in the mountains where no one knew his name, a place where Smurfs name wouldn't taint him anymore.
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You were giggling at some terrible joke that Dana had just made, claiming she was part of the 'cool and hip crowd'. It was nice to just get out and simply enjoy yourselves for once and not worry about work, or any other problems.
"So, do you think you and Jack will ever have a little one?" Dana knew you never wanted children. After growing up surrounded by violence, you just couldn't imagine bringing another person into this horrific world.
"We discussed it a lot before we got married, Jack agrees that we shouldn't. With his PTSD from being in the service and my childhood?" You laughed softly, lips falling into a frown slowly. "It'd be selfish of us to do that to an innocent child, I've accepted I'll be the cool aunt."
It never bothered you, no matter how much society and the patriarchy wanted to pressure you into putting more children in the world. Money wasn't an issue regarding raising a family, but in some part you were almost selfish. It was your life, no one else was allowed to dictate what you did with the time given.
"And a damn great aunt you will be," Dana's eyes squinted as she smiled brightly, refusing to let tension ruin a great night out.
Drinks were replaced before anyone could finish theirs, laughter filling the air as everyone told old stories, inappropriate jokes, and whatever else came to mind.
Hazel eyes watched you, the way you threw your head back every time you laughed freely, fingers pressed against your sternum. To anyone else watching they'd think he was interested, but no, he knew you were married, the ring could blind anyone who looked at it. You looked just like you had back at home. So carefree, so happy.
And he'd let you slip through his fingers, building the courage to tell you his true feelings before it was ripped away. Smurf had never approved of you, called you too soft for the sharp edges that surrounded Andrew. He didn't want to believe her, that he was nothing more than a monster. Until his fingers were gripped around the pillow held over Cath's face. Until he held down J's head under the water, his sister's face flashing in his mind. She'd been his first victim, even if he hadn't been the one to kill her.
Andrew's hands would never be clean, hair graying at the sides of his head, curls looser than he'd ever let them get. His beard followed suit, graying thickly while leaving a hint of his natural auburn. It helped him blend in a little easier, looking more like a local than someone that'd spent their life surfing and robbing.
"Hey, I'm really sorry to bother you, but have you seen this person before," his body locked up at the new person standing by the bar.
Deran.
The bartender looked down at the photo, eyes narrowing for a slight moment before they shook their head.
"Sorry, never seen them a day in my life," the bartender laid their palms against the sleek wood. "There a reason you're looking for him?"
Deran nervously cleared his throat, back straightening to, what Andrew can only assume, look more confident in his answers.
"He's my brother, he's medicated and we just found out he hasn't been taking them, we're afraid he's on a bender," it sounded so plausible, a mental health crisis, a worried family out looking.
"Shit, sorry I couldn't be anymore help," with that, the bartender brushed him off, heading off to attend to customers.
Deran quietly cursed under his breath, turning to storm out of the bar while Andrew refused to so much as breathe until it was safe. His grip loosened from around the bottle he'd been clutching like a life line. Eyes flickered up and back over to your table, your empty table.
God fucking damnit, who knew the next time he'd able to see you again, not like he left his home very often. The realtor had been ecstatic to sell it to him, even offering to get the price knocked down a few extra thousand. That, he hadn't turned down, signing the papers not even a month later. It needed fixing up, not a problem with how much disposable income he had.
You were a memory he'd long since buried, afraid to open the Pandora's box that those feelings would unleash. His mind had never truly been able to do you justice, a modern day Aphrodite walked amongst the living and he couldn't have you. No, some doctor named Jack Abbot had gotten to you first.
Lucky bastard.
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It was much too early to be standing inside a grocery store, but it was also the best chance Andrew had to avoid people almost entirely. It was mainly the elderly he had to worry about, their driving being one of the worst parts of it. Safety first.
"I can't decide on which one to get, what if I end up hating the flavor?" Why did your voice sound so close?
"I'll drink whichever you like least, how's that sound?" Why was he hearing his voice?!
"I like the way you think, Dr. Abbot," you smiled as you grabbed a bag of each, setting it down into the shopping cart.
Andrew turned quickly, hiding off in a corner where you couldn't see him, let alone your husband. How slim were the chances that he would ever run into you? Probably higher since he moved into town, you left long before Andrew could tell you how he felt. It wasn't your fault he was too much of a chicken to utter the words. Smurf hadn't helped, whispering such vile things about you, and how he'd be better off. Things would've been better if Smurf hadn't ruined their lives, his only remaining family searching for him.
Slipping out of his hiding spot without being undetected, Andrew quickly started making his way down towards the freezer. Basket held tight in his left hand, right shoved deep into the pocket of his dark blue jeans. Just need to grab two more things before he can sneak out without you catching wind.
He'd only had his head turned for a moment, barely a second before he was colliding with someone in front of him, hand instinctively reaching out to grab the person. Fingers came into contact with the soft material of their coat, tightening to prevent them from falling. Andrew let himself focus once the brief shock wore off, eyes widening even further.
It felt like looking in a mirror, but also different in the same moment.
"I-," his throat felt tight, brow furrowed as he stared at himself.
The same eyes, wrinkles, were they identical?
Jack's eyes never wavered as he stared at the stranger in front of him, mind running with a million different thoughts. He was the patients brother he'd treated just last night, Andrew.
Andrew, sensing danger, dropped his grip as if Jack's coat had burned his skin. His feet pushing against the floor as he all but ran towards the registers. Shit, if Deran were to get word that he was actually alive? He couldn't go back to the life from before, wondering if he wouldn't lose his life on the side of the road due to a job gone bad.
No.
That wasn't his life anymore, Deran would just have to move on without Andrew in his life, he'd clearly been doing just fine. Maybe he'd get a cat, or a dog, something to take care of so he didn't need to go into town as much and get human interaction.
"Who was that?" You stepped over to Jack's side, watching how flustered he seemed to be after running into a stranger.
"I'm pretty sure that was the patients brother I told you about, the one I looked like," wrapping an arm around your waist he led you both towards the front.
The registers were nearly empty as you stepped up to an open one, setting everything on the belt as Jack headed down to bag things.
Neither of you noticed the man standing outside, dark sunglasses hiding the way his eyes bore into you, hands gripping the steering wheel harshly.
At least you were happy. Even if it wasn't with him.