Worth It (A Chris Evans Story)

Chapter 25: The first punch

Lily's leg bounced up and down uncontrollably as she sat in the back seat of her parent's car. As soon as she got the call from Jess the three of them immediately climbed in the car and headed for the bar Jess had sent her the address too.

All she had said on the phone was that Jack was there and it was getting ugly. It had instantly filled Lily with a sense of dread. She knew that if Jack said one wrong thing, Chris and Ash wouldn't be able to hold back. Ash had been itching to hit Jack since the moment Lily introduced them.

Not only was she now overwhelmed by the worry for both Chris and her brother, but she was absolutely terrified of being face to face with Jack again. She was not at all ready to face him and she was terrified that if she saw him he would be able to start breaking down the walls she'd built up and suck her back in again. She hated that she was still letting him hold even the slightest bit of control over her.

"It's gonna be okay sweetie" Cora smiled at her in the rear view mirror.

Lily just nodded and flashed a weak smile before she turned to look out of the window as the buildings passed them by. She just hoped they got there before too much damage was done.

~~~~~

The ten minute drive to the bar felt like hours and when they finally pulled up outside Lily jumped straight out and headed for the front door, not bothering to wait for her parents. She shoved it open and ran in to the crowded bar, her eyes scanning over the room looking for any of her people. Cora and Mark caught her up as they began searching the room also, Lily was just about to pull out her phone to call Jess when a voice called out to her from the direction of the bar.

"Are you Lily?" a tall lanky man with curly hair asked from where he stood behind the bar.

"Yes" she nodded eagerly.

"They're in the back, come with me" he smiled as he gestured for her to come to the other end of the bar. He met her there and lifted up the bar so she could come through, Mark and Cora following closely behind.

The young man led them through the door behind the bar that led to a hallway, they followed him down it before he stopped at a door and pushed it open. As soon as he did Lily's eyes instantly connected with those familiar baby blues. Relief instantly flooded her body at the sight of him, ignoring everyone else in the room she ran straight to where he was perched on the edge of a desk. Her hands came up to cup his cheeks as she examined his face. His lip was busted and he had what looked to be a bruise forming on his jaw as well as a split eyebrow and black eye.

"Oh god" she whispered as she lightly stroked her thumb over Chris's jaw.

"It's worse than it looks Bumble, I'm okay" he gave her that toothy grin before he hissed at the pain from his split lip causing Lily to cringe.

"Yeah you look okay" she sassed.

"I'm fine by the way" Ash huffed from beside Chris.

Lily turned to her left to face him, remembering for the first time since she entered the room that there were other people in here. Ash was sat in a chair next to the desk in the room with Amber sat on the arm rest holding an ice pack against his right eye. She also noticed he had his hand resting on Amber's jean covered thigh. That was new. She quickly shrugged it off but made a mental note to ask Amber about it later.

"Jesus Ash, what the hell happened?" she asked as she examined her brother's face that was in a similar state to Chris's, except Ash's nose was covered in blood and it looked like it could possibly be broken.

"Oh my baby" Cora shrieked as she came rushing in upon seeing the state Ash was in.

"Mum honestly I'm fine" Ash tried to shrug his Mother off as she started fussing over him.