The Cop and the Princess - Chapter nine:- Familiar Faces

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Chapter 9 – Familiar Faces

Hope parked her car outside the farmhouse just as the evening sun began disappearing behind the hills.

Her mind was still at the police station.

Money.

Burner phones.

Security leaks.

Three different trails...

And not a single face.

As soon as she opened the gate, laughter drifted across the garden

Casey was running around the yard, trying to catch a butterfly that clearly had no intention of slowing down.

Sara sat on the wooden swing, gently rocking herself.

The moment she noticed Hope, her face lit up.

"There you are."

Hope smiled.

"I wasn't gone that long."

Sara folded her arms.

"You said you'd be back soon."

"I am back soon."

"You are not."

Hope looked at Rose.

"Help me out here."

Rose didn't even hesitate.

"She counted."

Hope blinked.

"...Counted?"

Sara nodded proudly.

"Four hours."

Hope laughed.

"I've started being timed now?"

Rachel smiled.

"Looks like someone was waiting."

Sara immediately looked away.

"I was just bored."

Hope chuckled.

"Sure."

Rose stood up and walked over.

"Go take a shower."

"You smell like paperwork and interrogation rooms."

Hope sniffed her sleeve.

"...That's surprisingly accurate."

Hope shook her head before heading upstairs.

About twenty minutes later...

Hope came back downstairs wearing a fresh hoodie, her hair still slightly damp.

She had barely reached the hallway when she heard another voice.

A man's voice.

Warm.

Calm.

She walked toward the front door.

A man in his early thirty stood at the entrance.

He wore a neatly pressed light blue formal shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a pair of dark blue jeans. A travel bag rested comfortably on one shoulder while a brown paper bag hung from his other hand.

The journey was written across his face, yet there was an easy smile that made him look instantly approachable.

Before Hope could say anything—

Sara looked toward the doorway.

For a second…

She froze.

“…Leo.”

The next moment, she was already running.

Leon smiled the instant he saw her.

“There you are.”

Sara threw her arms around him.

Leon hugged her tightly without hesitation before gently kissing her forehead.

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

He pulled back just enough to lift the paper bag.

“I brought something.”

Sara looked inside.

Her eyes immediately lit up.

“My favourite snacks?”

“You actually found them?”

Leon smiled.

“I had to visit three different stores before I found them.”

Sara laughed.

“I knew you’d never forget.”

The laughter slowly faded.

Leon looked at her quietly.

His smile softened.

He gently held both of her hands.

“…I’m sorry.”

Sara looked confused.

“What for?”

Leon lowered his eyes for a brief moment.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

“My little sister had to go through all of that…”

“…and I wasn’t beside her.”

Sara immediately shook her head.

“No, Leo…”

“You don’t have to say that.”

He gently interrupted her.

“I do.”

His voice remained calm.

“I kept telling myself I’d come home once work settled down.”

“I thought there was still time.”

He let out a quiet sigh.

“But while I was away…”

“…you were fighting for your life.”

Sara’s eyes softened.

“It wasn’t your fault.”

Leon gave a small smile.

“Maybe.”

“But as your big brother…”

“I still feel like I failed you.”

For a few seconds…

Neither of them spoke.

Leon reached up and gently brushed a loose strand of hair behind Sara’s ear.

“I’m here now.”

“And I’m not leaving again.”

He smiled warmly.

“I’ll stay with you.”

“I’ll protect you…”

“…the way I should have from the beginning.”

Sara’s eyes became watery.

Without saying anything…

She hugged him again.

This time even tighter.

Leon wrapped both arms around her.

“It’s alright.”

“I’m here.”

“You don’t have to face everything alone anymore.”

Sara smiled against his shoulder.

“I really missed you.”

Leon kissed the top of her head.

“I missed you too.”

A few steps away…

Hope quietly watched the reunion.

A small smile appeared on her face.

Rose noticed Hope smiling.

She leaned over and whispered,

“You did good.”

Hope simply smiled back.

Sara suddenly remembered something.

“Oh!”

She grabbed Leon’s arm.

“Come.”

“I want you to meet someone.”

She walked over to Hope.

A proud smile spread across her face.

“Leo…”

“This is Detective Hope Parker.”

Leon looked at Hope before extending his hand.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

“Actually…”

“…we already know each other.”

Sara blinked.

“…What?”

Leon chuckled.

“She’s the one who called me.”

Sara slowly turned toward Hope.

“You called him?”

Hope scratched the back of her neck, looking almost embarrassed.

“You told me yesterday…”

“…that you missed him.”

“I thought having your brother here would make things a little easier.”

Sara stared at Hope for a moment.

She hadn’t expected that.

A smile slowly appeared on her face.

Without another word…

She stepped forward and hugged Hope.

Tightly.

“Thank you.”

Hope completely froze.

“…You’re welcome.”

She awkwardly patted Sara’s back.

Sara finally stepped away, still smiling.

From the kitchen doorway…

Rachel quietly watched the scene.

She nudged Rose with her elbow.

“What do you think?”

Rose folded her arms with a knowing smile.

“I think our stubborn hope is getting emotionally invested.”

Rachel smiled.

“And she doesn’t even realise it.”

Hope looked back toward Leon.

“You’ve had a long trip.”

“You can stay here as long as you want.”

“I’m sure Sara will feel much better with you around.”

Leon nodded gratefully.

“Thank you.”

“I really appreciate it.”

Hope smiled.

“You’re family.”

“That automatically makes you our guest.”

Leon returned the smile.

“I’ll try not to be any trouble.”

Rose immediately joined the conversation.

“There’s only one rule in this house.”

Leon looked at her.

“And what’s that?”

Rose pointed toward her coffee mug.

“Never touch my coffee.”

Leon laughed.

“I’ll remember that.”

Hope chuckled.

“Good.”

“You’ll fit in just fine.”

As the evening sun disappeared beyond the hills…

The farmhouse felt a little warmer than it had the day before.

The evening breeze gently passed through the garden.

Inside the farmhouse, Rose and Rachel were busy preparing dinner while Hope helped them in the kitchen.

Outside...

Sara and Leon sat side by side on the old wooden bench beneath the tree.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

It simply felt good being together again.

Leon broke the silence.

"So..."

"I've missed a lot."

Sara smiled.

"You definitely have."

Leon leaned back comfortably.

"Then tell me everything."

"Start from the beginning."

Sara took a slow breath.

"You already know about the convoy attack."

Leon nodded.

"I heard the news."

"But hearing it..."

"...and hearing it from you are two different things."

Sara looked down at her hands for a moment.

"When those men attacked our convoy..."

"I honestly thought..."

"...I wasn't going to survive."

"There was gunfire everywhere."

"I didn't even know where to run."

She smiled faintly.

"And then Hope appeared."

Leon quietly listened.

"She stood between me and those men."

"She kept telling me..."

"Stay behind me, Princess."

"Don't look back."

"I don't know why..."

"But hearing her voice..."

"...made me feel safe."

Leon nodded slowly.

"And after that?"

Sara smiled.

"Things became even stranger."

Leon raised an eyebrow.

"Stranger?"

She laughed softly.

"No matter how serious the situation became..."

"She somehow always found a way to joke."

"I'd be completely terrified..."

"...and she'd suddenly say something so ridiculous that I'd forget to be scared."

Leon smiled.

"So that's how she keeps people calm."

Sara nodded.

"I think so."

Leon stayed quiet.

Sara continued.

"And then..."

"...we found a trail."

A trail?”

Sara nodded.

“Hope noticed something everyone else had overlooked.”

“She followed it.”

“It eventually led us to an old warehouse.”

Leon listened carefully.

“We went there together.”

“I was terrified the entire time.”

“But Hope just…”

“…walked inside.”

“There were criminals waiting.”

Leon looked surprised.

“And?”

Sara smiled proudly.

“They probably thought she’d panic.”

“They were wrong.”

“She fought every single one of them.”

“I’d never seen anything like it.”

“It was like she already knew exactly what she was doing.”

Leon let out a quiet whistle.

“So…”

“She’s brave…”

“…funny…”

“…and stubborn.”

Sara laughed.

“Very stubborn.”

“I’ve told her so many times to take care of herself.”

“She just smiles and changes the subject.”

Leon smiled to himself.

“Sounds like someone who worries about everyone except herself.”

Sara looked toward the farmhouse.

Hope had just walked out onto the porch carrying a basket for Rose.

A small smile appeared on Sara’s face.

“…Yeah.”

“That’s Hope.”

Leon looked back at his sister.

A teasing smile slowly appeared.

“You seem very impressed by Detective Parker.”

Sara immediately looked away.

“It’s not like that.”

“No?”

Leon folded his arms.

“I don’t know…”

“You’ve spent the last fifteen minutes talking almost entirely about her.”

Sara laughed nervously.

“I was just telling you what happened.”

Leon nodded innocently.

“Of course.”

“But every story somehow ends with Hope.”

Sara opened her mouth to answer before realizing he wasn’t completely wrong.

Leon continued smiling.

“And every time I say her name…”

“…you smile.”

Sara blinked.

“I do not.”

“You just did.”

Sara gently hit his shoulder.

“Stop teasing me.”

Leon laughed.

“I’ve waited months to annoy my little sister again.”

“I’m not wasting the opportunity.”

Sara rolled her eyes before laughing with him.

After a moment, Leon looked at her more gently.

“I haven’t seen you smile like this in a very long time.”

Sara looked toward the farmhouse once again.

Hope was laughing with Casey while helping Rose arrange the dinner table.

Without realizing it…

Sara smiled again.

“…Neither have I.”

Leon followed her gaze.

Then quietly smiled to himself.

“I’m glad you’re not alone anymore.”

To be continue...5Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYPKnXaAoEO

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