David and Grace

David was visibly struggling in Victor's hold. He hadn't been expecting the man to be so strong, but maybe he shouldn't have underestimated him. His hands clawed at his attacker's throat, struggling to breathe all the while. Why wasn't Grace leaving! He didn't want her to get hurt as well. His eyes widened the moment she came out with the gun, pointing it right at Victor and himself. He wasn't sure how good of a shot she was, but Victor was betting on the fact that she wasn't considering how he seemed to pull the boy in front of him like a shield. "Grace, don't listen to him! He's lying!" he managed to get out, though his voice was broken and strained due to the hold constricting his throat. It seemed to be growing tighter as the seconds grew on, and David only seemed to get weaker.

Her fingers trembled, resting dangerously on the trigger. David was transcending into a startling shade of blue, and if she didn't act fast, he would be rendered unconscious. "Don't you wonder why your mother left all those years ago? You should thank me for killing your father. I would be doing you a disservice if I didn't," Victor mused, a deep chuckle spewing from his chapped lips. Baring her teeth, Grace fired, narrowly missing and embedding the bullet into the wall - right next to Victor's head. "Let him go, or next time I won't miss," she instructed, refusing to listen to such malarky. "Now, now, let's not get so trigger happy. You know I have friends coming, so it won't do you any good to shoot me now. You wouldn't be able to outrun us even if you tried," Victor chastised, loosening his hold by a degree so that David could breathe. "Unfortunately, I was instructed to bring both of you over alive and conscious - well, conscious so long as you both cooperate."

David could feel himself starting to slip away, but he continued to fight, refusing to give up. There was no way he was going to let Victor win. As black dots started to come into his vision, he heard what sounded like a gunshot. Did Grace really fire? He wondered how she managed to without hitting either of them. Suddenly, though, he felt he grip loosen just enough to allow air to come back, and he took a long glub, followed by a painful cough. His throat was on fire, and it hurt to breathe, but he needed the air so much that he didn't mind the pain. He felt so weak, but he managed to keep himself awake. He looked at Grace, urging her to run. He could fight off Victor long enough to give her a fighting chance. He might die, but at least she would be able to get out of there. Maybe she could find Caroline for him and tell her what happened. If he hit him hard enough in the right place, he could get out of his grip. He gave Grace one last pleading look, begging for her to follow his lead.

A rustic scent encompassed the space, drifting across her senses; a hacking cough trickled from her lips, and in an effort to salvage her dignity, she met Victor's gaze. Despite David's insistent manner, she was not abandoning her partner in crime. She was not her mother; she didn't abandon those who needed her. She weighed her options; a headshot was out of the question. Her opponent's entire torso was concealed. The only advantage she had were his lanky legs, exposed and daring her to strike. Stealing a glimpse at David, she made a hasty decision. She had one shot, one opportunity to free the pair. She squinted her eyes closed and fired; seconds later, a scream and a slew of curses pierced the airstream. She had succeeded.

David could hardly believe it when he heard the cries of pain coming from behind him. It was a risky shot, but she had made it. He pulled himself out of the man's grip, hitting him as hard as he could to further injure the man. The ran over to Grace, took a few more deep breaths. He had hardly regained his strength, but he was going to push himself until they made it out of there. "Come on, we have to get out of here," he said, looking back at Victor. He was sure he wasn't bluffing when he said he had reinforcements, and they needed to get there before the backup did. he took her hand and started out the door, hoping and praying that they had enough time to get out of there. The only option the two had now was to sneak around the borders until they got to David's home. He hoped and prayed that his sister and mother were okay. They were the only family he had.

A definite clank resonated about the space, encompassing the silence. Scrambling to retrieve the gun, she pocketed it, ensuring that she had easy access to it. Victor crumbled to the ground, weakened and winded; a sense of pride blossomed from within. She had managed to weasel her way out of the sticky predicament and avenge her father's death. Her gaze swiveled to her father, who was stooped against the recliner. He was lifeless, an empty shell. She hadn't the time to mourn, for David gripped her hand and trudged out the door with her in tow. She stumbled after him, the remnants of energy waning. "That man...he'll pay for what he did," she spat under her breath.

David knew that she was hurting, but he couldn't simply let he stop and mourn. No, the two of them had to keep going if they were going to make it out of there alive. "I know you will, but right now the two of us need to get out of here alive," he said, hoping and praying that this same tragedy had not befallen his family. They could all be dead for all he knew. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he lost his little sister. She was his responsibility, and it would be his fault if she was hurt. He took a deep breath as he continued running. He hoped and prayed that things would work out, but he could never be sure until he arrived home.

Outrage boiled beneath the surface; she yearned to avenge her father's death at that very instant, for he had suffered due to her transgressions. An urgent voice severed her train of thought. She tore her gaze from the wretched house, eventually setting her sights on David. He was right; they couldn't dwell on the tragic outcome, not now when they were facing the same fate. Her fingers interlocked with his, latching onto the thin layer of comfort that he could provide. The rapid pound of footfalls encompassed the space, alerting the pair that the reinforcement was hot on their heels. "This way," she urged, dipping off into one of the side roads.