Chapter Text
Abram was exhausted. He was absolutely exhausted and all he wanted to do was go to bed. He managed to catch an earlier flight than Stuart had originally booked, meaning he arrived back in the UK at four in the morning. Stuart should just be making his way to the airport now if Abram's math was correct. But he barely had any sleep so who knew. He also didn’t really care.
Abram was pleased to find the house empty and fucking quiet. No one was bothering him or trying to talk to him- which was how Abram liked it. He hated it when his so-called ‘family’ bothered him about something stupid or when the staff tried to be nice to him just because Stuart wanted him to be the successor. All Abram care about was Jo, so no one bothering him was a relief.
Abram yawned as he walked up the stairs, looking for the evidence that Jo had indeed smuggled cats into the manor while Stuart was out. It was definitely something Jo would do. Abram should really think about getting Jo a cat.
Things in the states were...better than before. Nathan Wesninski was dying from heart failure; it was only a matter of time before he died and with that came Abram and Jo's freedom. It was enough to knock the air out of his lungs when he thought about it. This never-ending nightmare was finally coming to a close.
Once the monster was dead Abram would tell Jo everything: take them to the states and finally let Andrew know he was alive, tell the other Foxes that he was alive, that he had missed them all so much, give Jo everything they could ever want and tell Andrew the nightmare was over. Tell him that Neil still cared so much about him, had his child and tried his best to protect them from the evils of the world. Soon this would all be over and Abram could finally be Neil again. He just needed Nathan to die- then he'd give Jo everything they ever wanted. And maybe Andrew would forgive him, at least for Jo's sake.
Abram hauled himself up the stairs and into his bedroom, collapsing instantly onto the bed face first. He blindly reached out under his pillow and relaxed when he felt the familiar feel of paper between his fingers. He kept all of Jo's art works that they gave him throughout the years under his pillow, all the silly but wholly Jo things they created, the four leaf clovers they spent hours digging up in the yard, or the leafs they found cool- all of it hidden away beneath his pillow. None of the maids ever cleaned in his or Jo's room anyways, just the hallway to keep up with the appearance that they took care of the two of them. Neil also kept other things belonging to Jo in his duffle bag- all the pictures he had taken of them as they grew up, the clothes that became too big for them to wear but that they had worn so much the fabric was worn and faded- unable to part with even the smallest of things. These were all memories that Andrew would want, that he had every right to have. Neil made sure to keep everything for him, and to tease Jo. Neil smiled and slowly let go of the paper.
Abram rolled over and sat up. He should check on Jo, just to make sure that they didn't hide a dozen or so cats in their room. He got up with a smile on his face at the prospect of Jo actually smuggling cats in the manor. Hopefully Nathan died quickly because Abram's resolve was crumbling faster than ever and he doubted that he would make Jo get rid of them.
Abram slowly opened Jo's door so he wouldn't wake them or the possibly stolen cats but froze when he saw it was empty. Jo's room was as chaotic as always with clothes everywhere, the bed a rumpled mess, and pictures and posters haphazardly taped to the walls. Everything was as it should be, the mess familiar and a constant. But Jo wasn't in there. Only their plush Mr. Whiskers remained on the bed as the only evidence that Jo had been there.
Abram felt his heart drop. He shouldn't jump to conclusions but he couldn't stop himself from fearing the worst- that someone had taken his and Andrew's child the moment he left them alone. That somehow Nathan, on his fucking deathbed, found out about Jo and was using the last of his remaining life to take this from Abram too. Because it wasn’t enough that Nathan took everything else from Abram- his mother, his childhood, his home and friend, his life, his Andrew- he just had to make sure he took every last thing from him. Even if that thing was Abram and Andrew’s baby.
Abram sped to the bathroom, hoping that maybe Jo was taking a weird early morning shower, that his worries were just that- worries. But the door was unlocked and all Abram found was a bunch of cut hair on the floor. Jo's platinum blonde hair. Abram could barely breathe, the thoughts that someone took his child growing stronger and stronger. This was why he shouldn't have left, he should have stayed here to make sure no one took Jo. To make sure they were safe.
Abram ran back to his room, ready to call Stuart to call a search party when he noticed a piece of paper on his pillow. Abram's hands shook as he picked it up, fearing it was some kind of taunt from Nathan. But the moment Abram laid eyes on it he knew it wasn't. That Jo had clearly written this in their scribble like handwriting:
I'll be back, love you dad
- Josie
Abram fell onto the bed, clutching the note tightly in his grip. Jo ran away. Jo ran away from him to God's knows where with just this note for assurance that they were okay. Abram hung his head in his hands, trying to take steady breaths but it felt like lungs just couldn't get any air in them no matter how hard he tried.
Josie ran away and Abram had given them the tools to do so. He had all but handed Josie the tools to run away from him, to hide from him and all Abram could do was try his hardest to find them. But he knew better than anyone how to stay hidden from people searching for you, he knew that his child would do everything in their power to keep away.
Abram felt something wet fall down his face, his hands crumbling the note, shaking as he tried to keep himself together. He didn’t know what to do, where to start or what to say- but he knew he had to make sure his and Andrew’s child was safe from all harm. Neil couldn’t fail Josie like the world had failed him. Neil could only hope that Josie was able to protect themself until Neil found them. And hopefully, Neil could explain everything to them and it would all be okay, that they would be okay. That was all Neil was capable of hoping for until he had his child in front of him again.