Written in 20 minutes. No time for rereads.

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“Let’s go to the hospital,” Jason told Drew and Elizabeth as the ambulance pulled out of the parking lot of the motel. “When Spinelli wakes up—”

Elizabeth walked to the passenger side of the SUV and nearly pulled open the door before she saw the phone laying on the ground.

She knew that phone case, of course, because Cameron had begged for it for weeks and she’d reluctantly bought it—why a teenager needed something plastic that cost seventy-five dollars—

“That’s Cameron’s phone.”

In front of her, at the passenger door, Drew touched her arm. “Elizabeth—”

“Cameron—” She picked up the phone—the screen was smashed. “Oh my God—was he in the car?”

“No, we left him in the apartment—” Drew began as Jason joined them. Elizabeth frantically shook her head.

“No, no! He had his phone in the apartment, he loves this stupid thing—he can’t breathe without it—”

“Cameron!” she screamed, turning towards the woods. “Cameron!” She saw a sneaker at the edge of the brush—Cameron’s sneaker—another stupid purchase he’d just had to have—

Elizabeth started to run—

“Get Chase!” Jason snapped at Drew as he took off after her. He had longer legs — it should have been easy to catch up with her but Elizabeth had a brief head start and the adrenaline of a mother whose child was in danger—

Cameron loved that phone—he’d never let anything happen to it—

Elizabeth crashed through the woods, screaming Cameron’s name, not even blinking as branches whipped past her. She stumbled over a root, hit the ground on her knees, wincing before shoving herself back to her feet and taking off again.

“Cameron!”

She stumbled into a clearing—her fall had allowed Jason and Drew to catch up—

Sam stood in the small area, a gun shoved under Cameron’s chin—it was almost laughable—Cameron had shot up in the last two years and was nearly a head taller than Sam—

But with one arm around Cameron’s neck, the other at the trigger — Sam had all the power and she knew it. She must have heard Elizabeth screaming after Cameron in the woods—had stopped—

Or had planned it.

“Sam, what the hell are you doing?” Drew demanded. “What’s going on?”

“Sam—put down the gun,” Jason told her. He edged closer to her. “We can talk about this—”

“Talk about what?” Sam snarled. She lifted her chin. “This is fair. A son for a son! You killed mine, I’m taking yours!”

“That doesn’t—” Drew shook his head, looked at Jason and Elizabeth blankly. “Danny’s alive—”

“Not anymore! Julian won’t donate again! You heard him!” she screamed. “He refused—”

“That—that was a misunderstanding—”

“How is that my mother’s fault?” Cameron choked out. “Let me go, you crazy bitch—”

“Cameron,” Jason snapped. “Don’t talk—”

“Why? No one is asking any questions that make fucking sense—” Cameron broke off as Sam shoved the barrel into his throat.

“I would never hurt Danny. Do you want to test Jake?” Elizabekth asked, her hands up, her voice quiet. “Did you think I wouldn’t—”

Sam laughed, a bitter long, dark sound that caused chills to dance down Elizabeth’s spine. “Jake won’t help. Nothing will help—Jason’s family didn’t match five years ago. Do you know why?”

“It’s—” Jason looked at Drew, but Drew shook his head. He hadn’t been around during Danny’s cancer the first time. He looked at Elizabeth who just frowned. “It’s one of those things—”

“That’s what we thought then—but I wanted to test again—I wanted to test Jake—” Sam’s voice broke. “I found a hairbrush he left when he was t here—a-and it didn’t match—”

Elizabeth’s heart sank as she and Jason traded a stunned glance. “Jason’s not—but—the results—”

“You think I’d get that lucky?” Sam snarled. “You think I didn’t think that? I tested Jason. Jason isn’t Danny’s father!” she shrieked.

Elizabeth sucked in a startled gasp, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh my God. Oh my God—”

“Wait, what—” Cameron’s eyes darted back and forth. “What’s going on—”

“I knew it was a lie—I always knew it was a lie,” Sam retorted. “You all swallowed it, but I always knew he raped me—”

“Sam—” Drew edged closer to her. “Please. Let Cameron go. We’ll figure this out—”

“No! Franco matched! Franco matched! And he refused to help me! He refused! And I thought well I’ll make him, I’ll make him help me! I’ll—I’ll follow him, and I’ll kidnap him or I’ll shoot him—I will make him help me!” Sam screamed.

“But you killed him instead,” Drew said quietly. “You didn’t mean for him to die.”

“I followed him to her house. I knew you were weak,” Sam snarled at Elizabeth who just stared at him. “I waited for him to leave your room—but he didn’t—you made the boys leave—I knocked you out so I could get to him but—”

Her voice trembled. “Franco caught me, and I had to kill him, and it’s your fault—I couldn’t get him out—I had to kill him and now my baby is going to die—” Her fingers trembled. “I had to kill him—if you hadn’t let him—if you hadn’t—”

“He came there to attack me.” Elizabeth swallowed hard. “To force me to take him back. I wouldn’t—I would have helped you,” she said softly. “If you’d told me, Sam. I still can. We can—there are other people we can look for—please, don’t take my baby from me. I can help you—”

“Please, Sam—” Jason locked eyes with Cameron’s terrfied blue ones. “Just let him go—they’ll udnerstand what you did—”

“You protected a rapist all these years!” Sam raged. “It’s your fault! You can’t get away with it!”

“Then shoot me—kill me—” Elizabeth pressed her hands to her chest. “Take your revenge on me, Sam. Not Cameron. He never did anything to you—”

“Mom—no—”

“I’m the one you hate. Who you’ve always hated. Take me, not him—”

Sam’s eyes were wild as she shoved Cameron to the ground, aimed the gun at Elizabeth, and pulled the trigger.

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