(38) I am what I am

~Blair~

I heard Quinn’s voice through a haze of pain and thought I was imagining it. Then I felt a hand on my neck, touching me gently and I knew it was real.

I was just about to respond when I heard my stepfather let out a string of curses. Then Quinn’s hand left me. I felt bereft at its loss; and then terrified when the sound of fighting filled the room.

It took all my strength to move but I had to do something. I knew my stepfather. He was insane when he was angry, and being interrupted while he was punishing me would have had him seeing red. Biting down against the flaring pain I grabbed the bedpost and stood. They were fighting tooth and nail and there was nothing I could do to stop my stepfather unless I could find something to use as a weapon. Then I saw it—Quinn’s gun on the floor just inches from my feet.

I bent to pick it up and it felt as if my back was being torn apart. But I couldn’t let my stepfather win. I couldn’t. Gripping it tightly in one hand I stood just in time to see the bastard hit Quinn hard on the side of his head. Without a thought except for my need to save Quinn, I pointed the gun and fired.

Blood flew everywhere and I just about gagged as I saw the top of the bastard’s head explode as he fell backwards.

Dropping the gun, I staggered across to fall on my knees beside Quinn. His eyes were glazed at first but they cleared slowly and he looked up at me. “You did it, baby,” he murmured, lifting his hand to touch my cheek.

“We did it,” I whispered back and then the tears came.

“Oh, Blair, damn.” Quinn sat up, gathering me so gently into his arms.

I wrapped my arms around him and we stayed that way for a long time, him sitting, me still kneeling, my face buried in his shoulder as I sobbed out my relief that it was over.

Finally he got up, lifting me with him to carry me into the bathroom. As we passed my stepfather’s body I looked down at the beast who had made my life hell for so long and felt nothing but cold hatred and a strange joy. I took me a moment to understand that the joy came from knowing that at last I was free. Free to be me.