15 Retracing my steps (B)

I put my hands over my mouth to suppress the frightened cry that left my lips. I was looking at him, I was looking at my mother's killer. I pressed my eyes closed to calm myself down, and when I reopened them, Jason was already making his way towards Frank with a kitchen knife. I didn't know what was going on in his head; was he about to commit murder? I turned to Antonio, he had his eyes fixed on Jason but he made no attempt to stop him.

"Jason, stop!" I screamed, going after him. Frank opened his eyes immediately and in a flash, he went for the knife, fighting to get it out of Jason's grasp. I stopped in my tracks, unable to do anything. I turned to Antonio, only to find out that he was gone! Gone to where?! I just couldn't imagine Antonio running away, more like fleeing and leaving me to deal with the situation myself.

Jason successfully pushed Frank away from him as he stood beside me, reaching for my hand.

"Clary? Who's this brat?" Frank was panting hard, making me guess Jason was stronger.

"Don't tell me you forget so easily." Jason growled. "Did you forget Taylor Devin?" I saw a flicker of surprise in Frank's eyes, but then he quickly masked it with a smirk.

"Now you mention it, I remember you, Taylor's little brat! What were you about to do? Avenge Taylor's death?"

"Shouldn't you be thanking your stars you were saved for another day?" Jason said with a wicked smile. They both stared at each other hard, as if ready for battle. I turned back to the kitchen again to see if Antonio was back, but he still wasn't there.

"Call the cops." Jason nudged me. I reached for my phone but quickly lost it when Jason pushed me back as he and Frank began to fight for the knife again. I crashed hard on my arm and it felt dislocated. I didn't bother about my arm; Frank was over Jason and was trying to press the knife into his chest.

In an instant, the door flung open and a loud sound boomed. I saw Frank yank away from Jason and quickly limped away through the back door, with blood oozing from his right leg.

I turned back to the door, a tall man stood there holding a gun. The horror in his eyes told me he had never shot a person before.

Antonio suddenly came out of the kitchen, looking as if nothing even happened. I wanted to shout and tear at him for leaving me and Jason to deal with Frank, but the pain in my arm increased and I had to press my lips together to keep myself from screaming in pain. Antonio came to me and picked me up gently.

"Don't worry, it's not a dislocation or anything major."

I used my good arm to push him away.

"How could you leave me all alone when Jason's life was in danger? Frank almost killed him."

"Hey! It's Nicholas you should be yelling at. He should have come in a long time ago."

"Yeah, you're welcome. I'm glad I was a lot of help." The man said sarcastically, going over to help Jason up; the fear was out of his eyes.

"You should have aimed for the head or heart, although it shouldn't end that way. What took you so long?" I suddenly lost my cool. I was done with the strange talk and weirdness.

"Just stop it! How did you know he was out there? Why didn't you come to help? Why do you keep saying strange things? What the hell are you?'

"Come on, you never know when you'd need my help and if Frank saw me just now, he would recognize me then. So, if you look at it from my perspective, I was helping by staying away... Woah, not good." My head swoon as I blacked out.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I felt besides a raging headache, was a pair of arms wrapped around me. Slowly, I put up my head to see who held me.

"Argh!" I yanked away, falling to the floor, at the same time, throwing a pillow at Antonio.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?" He smiled, using his hand to support his head.

"Trying to calm you down. What were you dreaming about?"

"Why are you in my room?" He chuckled this time, waving his hand.

"Look around you, does this look like your room? Oh, wait! It is your room but not in your Dad's house. We're at your Uncle's house. We came here after you passed out yesterday, remember? Frank, knife, gun, black out?" That was when I remembered what happened at Frank's place. Yesterday?

"Wait a minute, why are we here? Don't tell me I've been unconscious for a whole day." I turned to the bedside clock, it was two in the morning.

"Fine, I won't. Do you plan on sitting on the floor all night? Come on, you need some sleep." He patted the bed, still smiling. I jerked off the floor but instead of going to the bed, I moved to the chair and sat, facing him.

"Why are you in my room?" I sent him a piercing look.

"I wanted to stay with you. You've been kicking and trashing about all night and I was worried. I had to hold you to soothe you." Wow! What do you know! Antonio actually cares about me. That warmed my heart.

"I'm fine now. Thank you." He shook his head.

"You're not, you need to sleep."

"Why aren't we at my Dad's house?" He shrugged.

"Maybe because I thought you'd lose James forever if he found out what happened at Frank's house."

"Thank you a lot, Toni. That actually means an awful lot to me."

"Tch! I said stop calling me Toni, whatever that means. You'd better hop on the bed now, it's the last time I'm asking." He took his eyes off me and relaxed more on the bed.

"And my Dad? How's he taking it?"

"Well, that almost caused a rift between him and Nicholas. He asked Nicholas to follow us and keep you safe no matter what, yet you ended up unconscious. It took a lot of 'No' to get him to stay away for now. He'll be picking us up tomorrow."

"Is Nicholas a cop?"

"Nope, a private investigator and your Dad's buddy."

"Well, it's not his fault. I had no idea my Dad sent him to keep an eye on me and I am grateful to him for coming in at that moment, or else, Jason would have been killed."

"Yeah yeah!" He snorted. "You ended up with a broken arm, Frank escaped and Jason is far from okay."

"What?" I was alarmed. Did Frank come back with a gun? Was Jason arrested for attempting murder? Was he stabbed? What...?

"None of those. I think he feels he should have pierced that knife into Frank's chest when he had the chance." I gave him a puzzled look.

"Did you just read my mind?" He grinned, looking away.

"Nope, it was obvious from the look on your face. Look, honey, I don't want to continue this chitchat, I need to sleep. The last bit of strength I had left went to calming you down."

"Honey?" It was gross to have my cousin call me that.

"Argh!" He moaned and turned his back to me.

"Get some sleep on that chair if you want. Oh, we got the pictures you wanted. Maybe you should..." He stopped as I laid down next to him.

"Antonio?"

"Mmm?" His back was still to me.

"Do you know why Jason wanted to stab Frank?"

"You should ask him yourself, I'm in no position to tell you anything."

"That means you know then. Please tell..."

"Claire, I have other things on my mind. Are you always so talkative? Go to sleep." I gave up and sighed.

"Claire, Jason wanted to stab Frank, because... It would have taken you those same amount of words to tell me what I need to know."

"Sleep!"

"I can't. I think I need to be soothed." He finally turned back to me and opened his arms.

"Come on in."

"Just a reminder, I'm your cousin, not just any other girl. You..."

"Shut it and come on." I smiled and wriggled myself into his arms.

"Antonio?" I was rewarded a groan from him.

"What is it?"

"When next I need you, don't run away." He chuckled.

"I was never running away. Even though I didn't see you get hurt, I knew nothing bad would happen."

"What..."

"Goodnight!" I exhaled and closed my eyes, letting myself feel Antonio's warmth.

I slept soundly this time.