Kennedy's Redemption (The Protectors 3)

She needed to see if her parents still had her car.

She had a trip to make.

·?•? ?•?·

“What the hell?” Hearing the door slam had him and Linc running for it. Throwing it open so hard it bounced back off the wall, they caught a glimpse of Kenny’s back as she ran down the driveway.

“What the fuck does she think she’s doing?” Linc growled as they tossed their own shoes on.

Running after her Creed tried calling her name. “Kennedy!”

She ran faster.

“Fuck sakes, Kennedy. What are you doing?” Linc yelled to her then whispered to Creed, “She’s fucking fast, man.”

He laughed. Full-on belly laughed. It was inappropriate for the moment but he found it to be more hysterical than anything he’d heard in a long time. He had a hard time catching his breath enough to keep up with her because Linc was right; she was fucking quick for such a tiny thing.

Finally, meeting her at the end of the drive Linc stood behind her, hands on her hips while he stood in front. For a while, he watched as her chest heaved in and out with her heavy breaths. She wouldn’t look at him, refused to meet his eyes even when he bent down to her level.

Lifting his hands up, Creed started running his fingers through her hair soothingly. He never wanted her to blame herself for what had happened. He had been trying to make her understand that nothing could have changed the outcome aside from Emily not going to her brothers or by now, she’d have been dead.

But instead of understanding, she carried the guilt on her shoulders for what happened to them. It was true that Emily got off scot-free physically, but mentally, she still struggled with her own guilt. With the horror of hearing and seeing what was done to Kennedy.

Everyone involved bore their own scars from that time, but the guilt and blame were solely on their captors, nowhere else.

“Kennedy,” he growled when she still wouldn’t look at him. “I have all day, Sunshine.” His patience was wearing thin, though.

“Where did you think you were going?” Linc questioned softly from behind her.

She shook her head so what hair he didn’t have in his hands floated in front of her to hide her face. “I wanted to…” Clearing her throat she started over softly, “I need to go back.”

“Go back? Go back where, Kennedy?” he asked confused.

“The cabin.”

Two words.

Two simple words and he was frozen in terror. He could see Linc was too. He tried to process why she would want to go back there. What could possibly be there other than bad memories and pain. He couldn’t see it. They’d promised her once that they would give her the world and save her from any pain, including her family. Not once did he imagine they would have to save her from herself

.

“No,” he told her sharply.

She finally made eye contact, shooting him a death glare. He was unaffected. He wouldn’t budge on this and the sooner she realized it, the better off she’d be.

“What do you mean, no?” she snarled shocking them both with the venom in her voice. Shooting his brother a quick look, he saw Linc was just as shocked and confused as he was.

“I mean, you’re not going. We won’t let you. There’s nothing there for you, Sunshine.” He was trying to make her understand how damaging it could be to her peace of mind.

“You won’t let me?” Why did that sound like a dare? He wondered.

“Kennedy, that could be incredibly traumatic. You don’t need to be there,” Linc tried reasoning with her while he was about ready to lose his cool.

“You don’t understand; I need to go. I need to figure out what happened, and I can’t ask them ‘cause they’re dead. I have nothing left from then. I just… need to.” Tears welled in her eyes.

Motherfucker, he thought looking to his brother. They both knew they were screwed with that look. She was about to get what she wanted and damn the consequences apparently.

“I will tie you to the bed,” he tried again.