Shadows In Durango

Chapter 122

*****Sofia's POV*****

I could feel my pulse quicken as Vincent's text message to Emma's phone repeated over and over again from within my head:

'Daryl's doing better. We should probably talk today. I'll meet you when you get to the hospital later?'

Was this it?

It was direct and straight to the point giving nothing away?

That was Vincent's style...

Was this whole meet up lining itself up to be the dreaded conversation where he's going to tell me it's all over? Whatever spark we had together, now gone? That I was too much of a liability for him, for everyone around me? Most likely.

My mind spiraled with every possible outcome as I finished drying my damp hair, and none of them felt good. Still, I knew I had to face reality sooner rather than later in order to move on in any way I can...

Whatever he had to say to me, whether it be good or bad, I would have to hear it in person, to my face.

I glanced across the room at Emma, who gave me an encouraging smile as she pulled on her peach coloured sweatshirt. "You've got this, Sofia. I can practically hear your thoughts. You need to just talk to him, clear the air, you'll both feel better for it after."

I nodded, even though my stomach continued to do flips. "I know, we should probably go there soon, it's getting closer to the afternoon visiting slots. I'll be ready in two minutes." I announce, sighing once more as I drag the brush through my well conditioned hair - grateful to look somewhat normal again despite the remnants of bruising, but I looked way better than what I had done when I first freed myself from Ashtons grubby basement...

Emma quickly hammered out a message on her phone, probably sending it to Reid since he had offered to come pick us both up, as I placed the brush down on the nightstand.

Everything seemed to move quickly from there, which I hadn't exactly wanted it to, growing more nervous by the second.

Reid turned up, we both climbed in, and thankfully he seemed to have more colour to his cheeks today compared to last night - seeming more back to his usual self.

"Did you sleep?" Emma questioned him, as I chose to remain quiet in the back.

"Yeah Vincent and I managed to take turns during the night, they gave us a small room with a bed when they realised we weren't leaving any time soon which was good." He explains, as I feel relieved to hear that Vincent had managed to sleep a little bit too.

rested now, it would help diffuse things

would feel longer today. Emma helped to fill the silence with firing random questions at Reid,

me, what his

hospital parking lot, my palms were sweaty, and my heart was pounding so loudly that I imagined I could hear it echo

at my temple as I followed them both out of the car, allowing for my body to enter autopilot, as we walked up the familiar steps and in

we were here only hours ago, the fear,

good now, at

in one of the chairs

towards him, he turned, his expression hard to read as he

wasn't completely cold either. His eyes softened slightly when they landed on me, but the tension between us was still very much there, remaining buried beneath the surface. "Hey," he greeted, his voice low. "I'm

in with him? Is he sleeping again?" Reid questions, as he clears his

can imagine she's in there all over him like a bad rash. Amelia came back not too long ago though so at least she's in there with them." Vincent tells Reid who rolls his eyes knowingly. It was then that I only realised that I hadn't actually been told much about Daryl's family, or Reid's for that matter, and only knew them for living with Vincent at his

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opinion of Daryl's Mom shining through when he speaks of

swallowed, trying to find my voice amongst the building silence. "How's Daryl

a little more at hearing me speak for the first time, seeming somewhat surprised that I

meal this morning but it wasn't much. He's still groggy, but the doctors say it's a good sign." His tone was lighter when he talked about Daryl, as if the progress was

here just to talk about Daryl... and that he wanted to address the matters between

and I was hoping you'd come with me, Sofia. We do need to talk." Vincent stands from his position, as I catch Reid and Emma locking eyes - both of them probably feeling caught somewhere

inside of me suddenly twisted tighter as I felt my cheeks fall

This was it...

my hesitation. "I'll stay here with Reid and keep

smile, thankful for her. "O-Okay."

large strides

heavy, filled with everything that hadn't been said yet as we approached and

hem of my black sleeve as we pulled out of

as I began to wonder if he had plotted on giving me the silent treatment as

don't blame you for this, you know," he said quietly,