a place we know| ✓

thirteen

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
.
.
December 19th
2:00 PM
New York
- - - - - - - -

"Mr. Shaw, that ain't anyway to treat a lady."

"The fuck do you want this time?"

Michael's lanky figure stepped out of the elevator that quickly slammed shut behind him. His eyes darted to all the pained faces and lips formed a full smile, sadistically enough, enjoying whatever scene they were creating.

It sickened Audrey to the extent that she wanted to scream and cry and watch the whole world rise up in flames because of how hard it was, how hard it was to love Gunner and Leah; to have been in Michael's bed and to have risked her life before for this. Misery. Resentment. Failure. She was no better than the next deadbeat she'd see walking down the street, or the next cocaine addict she'd meet out at night.

Audrey was hopeless and grieving, the sorrow pushing her over and under. "This isn't any of your business. Fuck off," Gunner spat the words out like poison.

"Tell me to fuck off one more time and you'll be in the motherfuckin' streets," he tilted his chin up as his eyes shifted to a trembling Audrey, "your girlfriend here's got nothing to worry her little head about. She can stay."

As if remembering she had been so close to leaving him behind, Gunner turned to her and the full burden of their situation dawned on him. "Audrey, you can't go. I know I fucked us up real bad but it won't happen again. I'm being real this time. I swear."

Audrey felt a tug on her jeans and averted her gaze to Leah's glossy eyes. She was just as dismal. Seeing her daughter, her flesh and blood suffer the same way she vowed she never would summoned whatever remnants of pain that resided within her heart to the surface.

She crouched in front of her and wiped the stray tears rolling down her flushed cheeks. "I'm gonna take you to Mrs. Shapiro, okay? Think you can wait for me there, baby?"

Then her face buckled all at once and the sadness washed over her. "I don't want Mrs. Shapiro. I want to stay with you, mommy," she sobbed.

"It's just for a little while, princess. I'll come get you," Audrey reasoned, but her walls were crumbling too. Her vision blurred and her throat tightened until she couldn't force any reassuring words out of her mouth. "Just ten minutes."

"Leah–"

Gunner watched her scurry towards Michael and hide behind his legs, seeking protection from the person she knew as her father. She clung to the superintendent like he was her lifeline as the height of her sobs escalated beyond what he could bear.

Michael, who stood as if in a daze, turned on his heel and lowered his head, watching Leah sob into his jeans. "What the..."

A wicked smirk appeared on his lips, which soon held a cigarette between them. "Looks like the kid doesn't want you around." His large hand patted her head. "I say neither does Audrey. Why don't you go, Mr. Shaw? Save us all the trouble."

"Don't touch my daughter, you bastard." Gunner wanted to cry and break him in two. His eyes stung, and when he looked at Audrey, he saw that she was just as conflicted as he was.

"Leah, come here," he began to plead. "Please."

Then the little girl ran to her mother. "Mommy, let's go somewhere else. I'm scared."

Whatever attempt Gunner made to hold his daughter again was squandered by Audrey. "You don't touch her either."

"She's my daughter."