Darkness

Epilogue

Autumn-Rose

“You need to sleep.” I turn to face Lincoln at the door, then turn back to Cain who’s been on a life-support machine for a month now. A fucking month, and Doc isn’t telling me anything. I know Lincoln told him not to say anything in front of me.

“What did Doc say?” I ask.

“No chan-”

“I know you’re hiding something from me.” I cut him off as I look at Cain. He seems so at peace, my finger moves softly over his jaw.

“No, I’m not. I told you Doc said he might wake up, he might not. That’s on Cain, but-”

“I know, Lincoln. He gave you a timeline for everything, but I won’t let you turn anything off. He still has time before you do.” Three months was Cain’s time, he gave himself three fucking months. Stupid, he should have spoken to me about it, but no, he told no one.

Lincoln sits next to me, and pulls my chair closer to him, turning me to face him. “I know you hate me, because you think I’m hiding things from you, but I’m not. Cain told me to tell you everything, and I have. But as his friend, I’m making sure I’m doing everything he asked of me.” Lincoln wipes the tears away from my cheeks.

“I know,” I say through sobs.

“It’s been a month, and he made me promise something, and I don’t care how much you fight with me, you’re doing it. Not for me, but him.” Lincoln looks at Cain, and no matter the front Lincoln puts in front of everyone, he's hurting. I know he is.

“What does he want me to do?” I ask.

“The jet leaves for England tonight, he wants you to go home, see your family. And before you fight with me, if anything changes the jet will be ready for you to come-”

“No. I can’t leave him.” I pull away from Lincoln, how could Cain even think I would leave him?

“You can and you will. I will call you every day. But he wants you to go home-”

“This is my home!” I shout at him.

“Autumn, your home is here with Cain, but you need to see your mom and dad. You need the comfort of your family and support.” Lincoln hands me the ticket, and I stare at it for the longest time.

“Autumn, are you sure it’s safe for you to be here?” I’ve been in England for three weeks now, and every day at least four times my mom asks me if it’s safe.

“Mom, they said he was dead. I can’t get safer than him being dead.” Rowan's body was sent back to his family, and a whole fake autopsy was made up for him, saying he got into a fight, and to be honest I didn’t ask Lincoln anymore than that. The less I know the better. As far as I care, I didn’t want to know anything about him. I’m just happy to be back home.

“Are you staying?” Dad asks, as we watch the football game.

“No, I have the shop, I have a life there. But I can come back home whenever I want.” I reach for the popcorn, leaning in closer to my mum. The thing I’ve missed most about England is the weather. Today is a nice autumn day, the fireplace is on, a good football game is on the TV and I have a nice cup of tea. Prefect.

“Well, you have a private jet now.” My mom jokes, which I can’t help but smile because I do have a private jet.

“I do, which means you can come visit me.”

Since I came home, they haven’t let me do anything, mainly because they were so happy I was back home, and then I told them about Cain. I cried the whole time. I couldn’t tell them about The Pit, so I made up a story that he got into a nasty car accident.

They agreed with Lincoln about having a break. Being home is going to be good for me, and I will never admit it to Lincoln, but it has been. Three weeks and Lincoln has been fulfilling his promise and has called me every day. Today he told me he might not be able to call as much. He has a busy day in the club, but if there is any change with Cain, he will call no matter what.

I look over at the door when the doorbell goes off, placing my tea on the coffee table, I make my way to the door. I ordered an Indian takeaway, which is another thing I’ve missed from here.

“Do you need money?” My dad yells, which makes me smile.

“No, I paid when I ordered.” I open the door and freeze.

“Hello my beautiful English Rose.” Cain takes a step into the house, and wraps his arms around me and I cry into his chest and wrap my arms around him, wanting to make sure it’s really him. “Miss me?”

“So Goddamn much. Why did Lincoln not…I’m going to kill him…Are you okay? You shouldn’t be flying-”

“One question at a time, but first do I not get to meet your family?” Cain pulls away from me, but I don’t want him to leave me. “I’m not leaving, I’m here.”

“Sweetpea, who is it?” I turn around to face my parents and wipe the tears away.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. White, so nice to finally meet you.” Cain puts his hand out for them to shake, but my dad pulls him for a hug, which makes Cain tense up.

“I’m sorry, are you still in pain?” My dad quickly pulls away from him.

“Nothing I can’t handle.” Cain wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. “I woke up a few days ago,I told Lincoln not to tell you so hate me not him, my body is still hurting. Doc has come with me. I don’t care about my pain, nothing was going to stop me seeing you.” He leans down and kisses me.

“Come in, food will be here soon. So you have time to tell us everything, and finally we get to meet the man who gave our daughter back to us.” My dad walks back into the living room, which gives me and Cain a moment.

“I’m so happy you didn’t die on me.”

“Not getting rid of me that easily.” Cain kisses me.

This is the happiest day of my whole life. The man I love more than life itself is back with me, alive, and I have no words.

I have everything I could ever ask for.

A life with the man known to the world as the ghost, but to me he’s Mr. Cain Crawford.

Cain

It took me almost three months to fully recover. It was a fight I knew was going to take everything from me, but I won. The Pit is mine and no one will take it. Ever.

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask my uncle. Once I woke up, I went to England as I could as I wanted to be with Autumn. That meant I didn't get to talk to the family.

“Ask away.”

“In The Pit, you shouted something, Fight my warrior. Why?” The words he shouted were everything I needed that day, and he has no idea how much.

“The boys think I’m crazy, but there was a voice there, shouting the words to me.” He stops talking when I laugh. “What?”

“Every time I had a fight, and I was losing, Grandad shouted those words, and every time it worked. He was there, watching the fight that day.” I smile feeling that he was definitely there with me, no matter what, he will never leave my side. Never, and I never want him to.

“I knew it, I felt it. I thought being down there was messing with my head, but I felt Dad, that day.” I see the smile on my uncle's face, a smile which Grandad would love to have finally seen on his son's face.

“I will tell you every story you want to know, but first business. Have you spoken to Aunt Jane?” I ask my uncle, I have plans, not just for the family business, which uncle David hasn’t asked me about. More like he’s told me I’m now taking part in all the businesses.

I’m also not hiding anything anymore either, everyone said if I can beat Yang, I can beat anyone, and they will always be there for me. So, now I’m out in the open.I’m Cain Crawford. You fight me, you fight my family.

If he wants me to be part of the clinic and the other family businesses, I need help with The Pit. I know who I want to help me, but I need both Uncle and Aunt to agree.

“She said yes. The summer down there, then only when you need him. You will look after him,?” Uncle David asks.

“You know I will.” I look up at the door when the boys walk in, and they stand in front of us. “I’ve been talking to your dad, and you are all good with what you have, you had an excellent teacher.”

“You really think highly of yourself,” Mason jokes, but it makes me smile.

“I do. But now I’m out in the open, enemies will come, your dad wants me back in both parts of the business. So I need help with The Pit.” The four of them all stand up straight, their eyes darting between Uncle David and me. The Pit is a fucked up place, and they should look scared.

“Cain, came to me and said he wants to train one of you to oversee what happens down there. Myself and your mother have agreed with him.” Uncle David tells them, as they look between each other.

“You will spend the summer there, myself or Lincoln will be in and out, but you need to learn to fight there, learn to be the boss.” I stand up and stand in front of them with a smile, as I point to the one I’ve picked.

“You have one week, then you go to The Pit.”

THE END