Chapter 1: Lost

Cris Futtermen watched his daughter run her hands over the white cotton sheets of the hospital bed. Bee's face was twisted with confusion and sadness as her hands skimmed the sheets. Those were the only emotions she ever showed anymore. Smellerbee winced as she heard Cris shift in the chair he was sitting in, clothes rustling. How could she never notice how loud that was before? The monitors in the room kept up a steady pulse of beeps as they monitored her heart rate – which was, thankfully, normal.

Cris's eyes trailed over his daughter. Bee was lying in the standard hospital bed, propped up against a mountain of pillows. Bruises stained her arms and ran along her jaw line. Cris couldn't see much else; a large white bandage was wrapped around Smellerbee head, covering her forehead and her eyes.

Cris's hands clenched into a tight fist; He knew people were cruel and he'd been exposed to the cruelty in people that lurked below the surface enough times in the bullying that Smellerbee had suffered before but this. This was beyond cruel. Due the actions of those animals, his daughter was now blind.

"You're grunting," Smellerbee said softly, head cocked to one side; confused.

"Sorry," Cris replied, clearing his throat and sitting up straighter.

"It's okay," Smellerbee told him, dropping her head. "It's just loud. Not that loud, but still loud."

Smellerbee flinched again and Cris turned to see a nurse walking in. She smiled at Cris, who nodded in response. "How are you feeling Bee?" the nurse asked softly. Everyone had been instructed to keep their voices low as her hearing adjusted. In losing one sense, your others became heightened and Bee would need time to get used to it.

"Okay," Smellerbee murmured, refusing to lift her head. Of course, she wasn't okay. How could she be? She was blind. There was no sugar-coating it or hiding from it. The horrible reality hit her over and over again. She would never see her friends again. She'd never see her father again. How could she live like this?

The nurse flitted around, checking Smellerbee's monitors and making notes on her charts. "Can I get you some water Bee?" She asked.

"No, thank you," Smellerbee replied, trying to be polite, but it sounded horribly forced to her over-enhanced ears.

"Alright. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask," the nurse smiled kindly at her, though of course, Smellerbee wouldn't know this. "Also, there are some people downstairs wondering if they can come and see Bee."

"No," Cris answered firmly. "Nobody is allowed to come in here."

"Of course," the nurse nodded, though she looked slightly startled. When Daisy was in here, he had allowed visitors. "I'll tell them that it's family only." The nurse left the room and Smellerbee slouched down further into the bed.

All of the Freedom Fighters had tried to come in and talk to Bee, but Cris was having none of it. Not even Ralli or Aang could come in and see his daughter. Cris watched Smellerbee curl on to her side, face turned towards him. Smellerbee had been in hospital for three days already and was counting down the seconds until she could go home. She hated hospitals and wanted nothing more than to curl up in her bed and pray that this was all a bad dream. It had to all be a dream.

"You should go to sleep," Cris said softly.

"I want to go home," Smellerbee whispered, voice barely creeping above a whisper. She sounded like a young child who was homesick and Cris didn't blame her. The four walls of the hospital room seemed to get smaller and smaller with each passing day. Though Smellerbee couldn't see them close in closer and closer on her.

"I know, buddy. I'll find out when you can come home as soon as I can, okay?" Cris promised and Smellerbee nodded.

Silence fell over the room and Cris found it hard to tell if Smellerbee was falling asleep or if her mind was wide awake, going over what had happened. Cris had turned off Smellerbee's phone; Freedom Fighters were constantly calling and messaging Smellerbee.

Cris wasn't happy with any of them. Smellerbee was constantly talking about them, the drama they went through that seemed to happen on a daily basis and how they were meant to be a family. They were so caught up in themselves that they couldn't see that Smellerbee was in trouble. Not until it was too late.

It wasn't their fault – it was those… those kids that blinded his daughter fault – but since Smellerbee didn't know who did it, Cris was directing his anger at the kids who could have done something, if they had paid closer attention.

"Daddy?" Smellerbee said quietly and Cris jumped at the sudden noise. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned his attention back on his daughter, surprised that she had called him daddy. She hadn't done that since her mother… left.

"Yeah?"

"Could you – could you do me a favor?" Smellerbee asked in a small voice.

"Anything you need, Smellerbee," Cris promised.

"I was wondering if you could get a message to someone for me," Smellerbee said slowly her voice barely a whisper.

"Who? Jet?" Cris asked, confused.

"No. I, um – I met a new friend a few weeks ago. He goes to Ba Sing Sa Academy out in Westerville," Smellerbee explained. Cris wondered when the hell Smellerbee had been in Westerville but decided that the conversation could wait. "I was wondering if you could text him and ask if he could come visit me."

"What's his name?" Cris asked, curious.

"Liam," Smellerbee whispered, cheeks flooding red.

There was a pause. "I don't know, Smellerbee," Cris said, slowly.

"Please," Smellerbee pleaded, "just one visitor. Just him."

"Why him?" Cris asked, curiosity getting the better of him. "Why not Jet?"

"Liam, he – he's like me, Dad, he was threatened like me to," Smellerbee said softly and Cris was taken aback by her honesty. The two of them hadn't shared much, not since Daisy passed away. Cris was determined to rectify this, though deep down, he knew the damage was irrevocable. "He's the only one who understands."

"Is his number in your phone?" Cris asked.

"Yeah," Smellerbee nodded and Cris grunted in response. He got up and rummaged through Smellerbee's bag for her phone.

"How do I turn it on?" He asked, looking at the device as if it was an alien. The neon green cover, the buttons, and the fact it was off confused him.

"There's a button at the top. Push it down," Smellerbee instructed and Cris obliged, smiling with pride when the phone seemed to respond. He waited for phone to wake up and it started buzzing in his hand. Messages flooded in and Cris sighed. He waited until it stopped alerting him of new texts and missed calls before looking at the phone through narrowed eyes. It was a foreign object to him; he wasn't nearly as tech savvy as Smellerbee would have liked him to be.

"Where are the buttons?" Cris grunted.

"It's a touch screen, Dad," Smellerbee said softly and Cris knew she would be rolling her eyes if she could. "Go to the button that looks like a phone book." Cris glanced at the phone and quickly spotted the icon. It opened and a list of names popped up. "Do you see Liam's name?" Smellerbee asked.

"Yeah," Cris said.

"OK, touch it and then click, create text message," Smellerbee instructed and Cris did as he was told at an agonizingly slow pace. Cris slowly composed a message to Liam, reciting it to Smellerbee as he typed.

Hello Liam, this is Cris Futtermen. I was wondering if you are able to come to the Yu Dao Hospital. Smellerbee has been in an accident and would like you to visit. – Cris

"Done," Cris grinned proudly, looking at Smellerbee, who smiled softly in return.

"Thanks, Dad." The phone buzzed and Smellerbee perked up. "What does it say?"

Hello Mr. Futtermen. Of course I can visit. Is Al OK? When can I come? – L.S "He can come tomorrow," Cris said, after he read it aloud to Smellerbee. He typed out a message that said as much and sent it with ease. He could totally get the hang of this thing.

"Thank you, Dad," Smellerbee smiled. Cris noticed that it was the first time she had smiled properly since the incident. Obviously this Liam was important to her. He would be getting a very stern talking to when Cris met him, though.

Smellerbee's phone buzzed again and Cris looked at it, read it aloud to Smellerbee as he did so. "I'll be there as soon as visiting hours open. I hope Al's OK – L.S"

The phone started ringing and Katara's name flashed on the screen. Cris winced, letting it ring out before switching the phone off – as per Smellerbee's instructions – and put it back in Smellerbee's bag.

"Get some sleep, Smellerbee," Cris instructed firmly and Smellerbee nodded, settling against the pillows again.

Cris watched Smellerbee's breathing even out and he knew she was finally asleep. Cris had been given special permission to stay after visiting hours. They needed Smellerbee to remain calm and feel safe; her body had gone through a dramatic change and Cris would be there to help her.

Her first night in hospital, Smellerbee had woken up – having passed out after the attack – in a panic, terrified and hyperventilating. It had taken them a while to calm her down, giving her oxygen to help. Cris hadn't left her side since and the staff had agreed, knowing it would keep Smellerbee calm.

Cris crossed his arms and continued to watch Smellerbee. He couldn't believe that he had missed that Smellerbee was miserable and in trouble. Smellerbee had lost weight, she was quieter, she stopped playing music and singing around the house. She hadn't even played with her swords like she had in the past. Cris had been distracted by his relationship with Ralli, but it was no excuse. He should have seen it. He should have known that Smellerbee was being bullied at school – hadn't he seen his daughter come home in different clothes than she had left in enough times?

Cris felt horribly guilty. He had promised Daisy that he would take care of their daughter and he had failed. Well, next time, he wouldn't. He would do anything to protect Smellerbee.

Smellerbee hadn't spoken about what had happened. The police had come by and had questioned her – but they hadn't got much out of her. Smellerbee didn't know who had attacked her and even if she did, she wasn't saying anything.

Cris sighed quietly and rubbed his hands over his face. His eyes dropped closed and a wave of fatigue fell on him. He got himself comfortable and started to drift into unconsciousness, hoping that tomorrow would be better and that this was all a dream.