06 // More News

He watched her run up the stairs and a second later, he heard the bedroom door slam shut.

She was right, she did not invite him, he came because Blair asked him to, but he also did it out of free will. However, it did not mean that he was going to leave just because she did not want him there.

He walked out of the house and told the driver to go back home because he needed enough people to keep an eye on Montana, but that was only an excuse to get rid of the guard and stay behind.

He puffed out and rolled his head back around, suddenly feeling tired and drained like he had been lifting heavy machines, while in reality, he had not been doing anything, at least nothing useful, he was just lazing around in his brother's house.

He sighed and walked back into the house. The house was spotless, MJ had done a really great job at cleaning it, nobody would be able to tell that it was a crime scene. The only thing that was a reminder that a crime had taken place was the loss of colour on the brown floor board near the door, it was quite unsettling.

Cameron got rid of the water bucket that MJ had been using to clean and then took everything back to the store room. He searched the place and found a small bucket of paint laying around the storage room; if he was going to stay here for the night, he might as well make himself useful. He took the bucket and painting brush and kept himself busy by remodeling the floor; it was the least he could do to relieve MJ of the stress she was currently enduring.

It did not even take him an hour, and by the time he was done, it looked brand new; there was no sign of blood, nor was there a white colour from all the scrubbing done. It just needed time to dry, and then MJ would not even remember the exact spot where everything took place.

He sat downstairs for a while until midnight and then carefully went upstairs to MJ's room. He opened the door quietly and peeked through the small opening. What he saw made his heart skip a beat, MJ was coiled up in her bed and sleeping peacefully.

He did not want to disturb her, so he went back downstairs and slept on the couch in the sitting room.

He did not get much sleep, he was worried that if he closed his eyes even for a second something would happen to her and he wouldn't be there in time to save her, he checked up on her twice during the night and nothing had changed, she was still sleeping and before he knew it, it was morning.

He heard the water running upstairs and got up. He was tired, but he had to get his day started. While MJ was in the shower, he went to one of the bathrooms and washed his face and then he went back downstairs to prepare breakfast. He was a terrible cook and he knew it, and MJ knew it too.

He remembered how she made fun of him the one time he prepared breakfast for her back in London, he was not going to go down the same road again, this time he decided to prepare something he was good at – pancakes. He loved pancakes with all his heart, they were his favourite. Hopefully, MJ would enjoy them as much as he did.

Luckily, they had all the ingredients he needed, he did not want to go overboard and make something only for her to end up not eating; so, he only made pancakes, juice and tea.

Thirty minutes later, MJ came down and for a moment she stood at the centre of the room her eyes trained on the spot next to the door. She slowly tilted her head, facing the kitchen, and she came face-to-face with Cameron. Her lips were slightly apart, she was obviously not expecting him to be there.

"Good morning," he greeted cheerfully while preparing the table.

She closed her mouth and gulped subtly. "Hi," she greeted in a low voice and walked into the kitchen in calculated steps as if expecting everything to disappear in a second. "I was not expecting you to be here," she said truthfully, an unknown glint in the depth of her eyes.

Cameron gave her a small smile. "Come on, have a seat! Breakfast is served." He pulled a chair for her at the head of the table, and she sat down and pulled the chair in, taking in the setting before her. "I hope it is as delicious as it looks."

Cameron laughed. "Trust me, it is. Tea or juice?"

"I'll have juice, thank you." He poured the juice and then placed a plate of pancakes layered with syrup in front of her. She dug into her food and ate absentmindedly, but she finished everything on her plate. "Thank you, the last thing I had was pasta earlier yesterday. I didn't really have an appetite, but your breakfast helped."

Cameron smiled. "Anytime! Did you have a good night?" He asked.

She gave a wary smile, her lips struggling for words. "Better than I have in years."

"I'm glad." He took her plate and glass, and left them in the sink. A knock came from front door, and MJ and Cameron turned to look at each other. "Are you expecting someone?"

MJ shook her head. "No."

Who could it be so early in the morning? He only hoped that it was not his driver or Montana. "I'll get it," he said just as MJ was about to get up. He left the kitchen and opened the door to be greeted by a face he was not expecting to see in a while. "Jackson?" He said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

MJ came out from the kitchen at the mention of Jackson's name. She stood in the kitchen doorway and crossed her arms. "I doubt Blair dragged you out here too, so what brings you here?" She asked.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," he sighed. "But there is trouble in paradise."

"What happened?" MJ asked.

Cameron frowned. "Whatever it is, can't it wait?"

MJ glared at him. "Why wait?" She asked. "I mean he's already come all this way."

Cameron did not like this, he did not like how the issues kept piling up. He was afraid that she would crack under pressure.

She had a lot to deal with over the past few months alone; first it was the kidnapping, followed by Alastair's death, then it was Jorge's shooting, and now, the whole thing with Logan.

She could not handle any more stress, not when all these issues remained unresolved.

"I just don't think it is a good idea for you to be involving yourself with more stuff."

"Why? Do you think I can’t handle it?"

"I'm worried that it will take a toll on you," he admitted. "Why not solve one problem at a time?"

MJ did not answer him, she pursed her lips and then turned to Jackson. "What happened?"

Jackson grimaced. "Samantha was involved in an accident. According to bystanders, she was kidnapped and then thrown out of a moving car."

Cameron watched as MJ's face turned white, and a heavy silence followed before Jackson's words hit home. "Wait, Samantha as in Blondie?" He asked. Samantha was such a sweet girl, who would want to hurt her?

Fear settled on MJ's face, her breathing becoming rapid. She looked like she was going to collapse.

"MJ?" Cameron rushed towards her, but she was out of sight before he could even reach her, she disappeared into the kitchen and rushed towards the sink, and drank a glass of water before plopping on the nearest chair.

"This can't be happening now," she said in a quiet hoarse voice, burying her face in her open palms. "Jackson, where is she?"

"She was admitted at the same hospital as Mr Billings."