Shadows In Durango

*****Vincent's POV*****

I was halfway down the hallway, my head spinning with the weight of everything my father had just laid out, when my phone buzzed in my pocket.

I pulled it out, noting Reid's name flashing up across the screen. His timing couldn't have been better- or maybe worse? "Reid," I answered, keeping my voice low as I stepped into the nearest empty room.

"Vincent." Reid's tone was steady, but there was an edge of exhaustion to it. "Just checking in. I'm back at the hospital with Daryl. He's still stable, still hanging on. The doctors say they're optimistic, but..." He trailed off, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. Reid wasn't one to deal well with waiting or uncertainty.

"But what?" I pressed, gripping the phone tightly with sudden worry for my friend's state...

"It's just touch and go, you know? It's not like he's up and moving around yet. He's tough as nails, but he's been through hell. The fact that he's still breathing is a damn miracle..." he begins, as I become frustrated.

"Reid what is it? What's worrying them?!" I demand, cutting him off as he breathes out heavily down the line.

"Well... they worry that he's lost feeling in his left hip and that it might affect his leg and his walking... but they said it's too early to tell if he'll get it back or not." Reid informs me, as I close my eyes over and pinch my nose.

How much more bad news can I take at this point?! My blood pressure was above boiling point with all of this...

I exhaled slowly, "It's too early to tell?" I repeat, attempting to find light of the situation.

"Yeah, that's what they said." He tells me, as I nod to myself a couple of times.

"Ok, so there's still hope that he will be fully back to his usual self? We can't think the worst..." I instruct him, knowing that Daryl was tough enough to pull through one way or another.

Daryl had taken a hit for Sofia - both literally and figuratively when Sofia's very life was in danger at the hands of that little freak of an ex-boyfriend of hers, if you could even still give him such a title!

"Well, I appreciate the update," I said, leaning back against the cold wall. "Tell him to keep fighting and that I owe him more than I can ever repay... I don't think I'll make it back today or tomorrow for a visit but I will as soon as I can - as soon as

I get all of this shit handled." I huff, knowing that I still had a major mountain to climb before things could even get remotely close to feeling 'normal' again.

Reid grunted in acknowledgment, but his voice softened. "How are you holding up with all of it anyway? And Sofia? Now that they are in town things might get... messy." He tests, as I scowl at the word choice. Messy.

That was one way to put it.

My jaw clenched as I thought about the look on Sofia's face when we'd had to make a run for it. Fear, anger, and something else - something I couldn't quite place but it was horrific to watch nonetheless. "We're as good as we can be right now," I said after a moment, keeping my voice even. "We've got a plan to convince them to back off out of her life for good but I just hope it works..."

"A plan," Reid echoed, his skepticism clear. "Care to fill me in? Or is this one of your 'I'll fill you in later' deals when all of the chaos is done?" He chuckles, as my lips twitch but I don't allow for a full smile.

"It's better if you don't know all the details yet, it's a lot to explain right now but yeah, I'll tell you when it's over I guess?" I admitted. "But we've got a meeting with Sofia's brothers and her father tomorrow. My father is helping us so we have things under control so far..." I give him the bare minimum update, as he listens intently.

Reid sighed, and I could picture him running a hand down the back of his neck, the way he always did when he was concerned. "Alright. Just... be careful then, alright? Daryl doesn't need any more company in the hospital, and I don't feel like attending your funeral anytime soon either!"

"Noted," I said with a dry laugh, though I appreciated his concern more than what I let on.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

Before he hung up, Reid added, "I'll keep you posted on Daryl. And Vincent... if you need backup tomorrow, don't hesitate to call, I'll be on standby. Whatever you're planning, you don't have to do it alone."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said, ending the call with him with a quick goodbye.

I stared down at the phone in my hand for a moment, my grip tightening around it as I knew that time was now ticking.

Pushing myself off the wall, I headed toward the kitchen in search of Sofia. We needed to talk, and there wasn't a moment to waste.

Tomorrow would decide everything, and I had to make sure we were ready for each and every scenario imaginable...

When I stepped into the kitchen, Sofia was standing by the counter, her back to me. She was gripping the edge tightly, her shoulders tense.

Her bright hair fell loosely over her small back, a stark contrast to the rigid posture she held.

"Sofia," I called softly, not wanting to startle her.

She turned her head slightly, just enough to meet my eyes over her shoulder. Her expression was a mix of exhaustion and determination. "You were in there a while," she said, her voice steady but low.

I nodded, walking further into the room. "Reid just called too. He's with Daryl, at the hospital."

Her brow furrowed, worry clouding her features. "Oh! How is he? Is he..."

"He's good, still stable," I interrupted, not wanting her to spiral. "Still fighting. The doctors are optimistic, but it's going to take time. Reid's worried about some nerve damage, but it's too early to tell." I summarised it gently for her own sanity. She exhaled softly, her shoulders dropping a fraction. "Daryl didn't deserve any of this," she murmured, more to herself than to me.

"No, he didn't," I agreed, stepping closer. "But it wasn't your fault either. He wanted to protect you, and that's exactly what he done - he doesn't regret it. None of us do."

Sofia looked down at her hands, her fingers curling into her palms. "It feels like everything I touch ends up broken. My brothers, my father, my... ex. They've ruined everything I care about!"

"Hey." I reached out, gently tilting her chin up so she was forced to meet my gaze. "Don't do that. We have a lot to face tomorrow and you don't need to pile any more guilt on top of yourself. The people in your life made their own choices because we all think you're worth it"

Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she blinked them away quickly, straightening her spine. "What did Reid say about tomorrow? Does he think we are fools?" she asked, clearly eager to shift the focus before she lost control of herself. I dropped my hand and leaned against the counter beside her. "He doesn't know the full details of the plan, but he knows we're meeting with your father and brothers. He offered backup if we need it."

Sofia's lips tightened. "Do you think we'll need it?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "It depends on how well we sell this. If your father and brothers even suspect that this is all a performance, they won't hesitate to try take you back by force. And if that happens..." I trailed off, not wanting to say the rest out loud.

"And if that happens?" she pressed, her voice trembling now.

I met her gaze, unwavering. "Then I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. No matter what."

Her eyes searched mine for a long moment before she nodded slowly and shifted to snuggle in to my side which shocked me completely.

I tensed up for a mere second, before my arms instinctively wrapped around her.

We remained intertwined for a period of silence, sucking comfort from one another as much as we could, before she finally spoke again:

"So, what's the plan? Exactly how far are we taking this tomorrow?" Sofia's tone was a little softer, as she cranked her neck back to stare up at me.

I hesitated, my jaw tightening.

I hated the words I was about to say, hated the reality of what we were walking into. "My father... he's arranging for Frazier and your brothers to come for a meeting tomorrow. Someone else is hopefully coming tonight to paint you with some fake bruises to add to the facade. We need to make them believe that you're stuck here. That you're..." I paused, clenching my fists. "That you're under my control in the worst ways possible."

Sofia's expression darkened, her hands gripping my shirt, "what's it going to take?"

I inhaled deeply. "We make them believe you've lost your freedom. I'll have to be nasty to you, you understand that don't you? Maybe even shove you around a little? Be quite rough with you? But just know that I don't mean any of it Sofia... I'm only doing it for you..."

Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching. "I know. It's ok. I'll play along as best I can. Do whatever it takes to make them believe us!"

I blinked, caught off guard by her immediate agreement. "You're sure? Because once we start this, there's no going back. They'll be watching your every move, looking for cracks in the act."

She squared her shoulders, her gaze unwavering. "I'm sure. If this is the only way to keep them out of my life, then I'll do whatever it takes. We don't have a better option, do we?" "No," I admitted softly. "We don't."

She took a step closer to me, her voice lowering. "Just promise me one thing."

"Anything," I said immediately.

Her eyes bored into mine, fierce and unyielding. "Don't lose yourself in the act. No matter what happens, no matter what you have to say or do, remember who you are underneath it all. That way, I'll always be able to forgive you..." Her words hit harder than I expected, and I felt a lump rise in my throat. "I won't," I vowed. "I promise."

Sofia gave me a small nod, though the tension in her shoulders didn't ease up. "Then let's get this over with."

I watched as she turned back toward the counter, busying herself with something I couldn't quite see. I knew she was trying to hold herself together, to keep the fear and doubt at bay.

Tomorrow would test us both in ways we weren't ready for. But if it meant keeping Sofia safe and finally putting an end to this nightmare, then I'd play whatever role I had to. Even if it meant becoming a complete bastard to her...