Chapter 106

106

He never spoke about it much, but Daniel had grown up in this same damned neighborhood until he was seventeen and had enrolled in FCU to get his bachelor's in criminal justice. He knew this park, like he knew anything. He had played there so many nights before.

And he was beyond pissed that this was where he was going to die. Some damned kid was probably going to find his body or something. Maybe even Heather's nephew, that kid with Zoey's face.

No. Daniel wasn't going to let himself die here tonight. He just wasn't. His family needed him. Right over there.

Gunnar was trying to get his woman back. To protect her, and the baby they were having together. Daniel wanted to see that baby more than anything right now. To know that the good in life still existed. And he wanted to be there for Charlie's retirement party. Charlie and Mac and Elliot and Gunnar and Jarrod—they were his brothers . His closest friends on the damned planet.

He wasn't ready to miss out on the good. Elliot was going to be a father soon. Gunnar too. Charlie...Charlie and Rory had little Chaz and sweet little Charis now. Charis, who looked like Charlie's devil daughter Charlotte already. They had families. People who mattered.

Daniel wasn't going to give up.

He pulled himself to his feet again. He wasn't even aware of when he'd fallen.

Daniel just kept going.

He was a block away when they found him again. Laughed. And knocked him down.

And threw the first punch.

Daniel did what he could to fight back.

It just wasn't enough. He fell to the ground right there next to the bridge over the tiny stream that led to the larger Finley Creek behind Hughes Heights. His head struck something hard on the way down.

Then Daniel didn't feel anything at all.