All leads back to you.
All mistakes and grammatical errors are my own, apologies beforehand.
Part ii
Floating around in a peaceful warm fog, a fog that encases her body like a mother holding an infant. The gentle rocking that lulls her , comforts her. Hazel eyes blink repeatedly and focuses on the on sudden darkness in the room. Her body jumps when the car hits a bump and the comfy pillow that she notices as an arm covered in a blue uniform moves. Quinn pulls back towards the door, panic filling her mind.
"Who are you? Where's my mom and Francis?"
"Relax sweetie. Everything is ok." Says the woman in the uniform. Quinn notices the badge on her chest.
"Are you a cop?"
The woman nods
"What happen? Where is my mom?"
"We are almost at the hospital. Your mom and sister are already there, they were hurt pretty badly. I'm Jessica Clark." She extends her hand out
Quinn watches the woman's hand carefully before she takes it in to her own. "I'm Lucy but everyone calls me Quinn."
"Hello Lucy. I know you are still in shock but do you remember what happen tonight?"
"Well.. My dad…" hazel eyes open wide
"Where is my dad?" she asks as her body starts to tremble
"Your father was arrested. I promise you Lucy you are safe." Jessica says with a nod
Relieved. Quinn takes a deep reassuring breath " Dad came home drunk again and Mom told us to go in to our room. I heard screaming and things breaking and I told Francis to call 911 and I ran to see if Mom was ok. Dad came back in holding a bat. He hit Francis because she was trying to protect me…" tears invade her eyes and she starts to cry again. Francis tried to protect her. Her sister, her best friend. She could feel the pieces inside her breaking. The car stops and they are right outside the hospital.
Holding Jessica's hand they walk in to the emergency room. The bright florescent lights hurt her eyes.
"Excuse me." Jessica says to the woman at the desk. "We are looking for two patients that just came in Judith and Francis Fabray?"
The woman type's their names in the computer and frowns. "The patients are both in surgery. I will make sure the doctor comes out to speak with you for an update."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome; you can go sit in the surgical waiting area down the hall and the room on your left."
Jessica nods again "thank you again"
They walk to the waiting room and sit in the corner. The room is small and smells weird. Quinn looks down at her pants and sees the blood stains. Her mother's blood. Quinn begins to tremble and she closes her eyes and starts to pray, "God please. Please don't let my Mom and sister die. I don't understand why you didn't help her. We are all good. If I behave more maybe you can let them live? Hello? Are you there? Will daddy be punished? …. God?"
Quinn wakes up as her head swings to the side. How could she fall asleep? Eyes flutter open and she sees Jessica talking to a man in a white coat. She closes her eyes again and strains her ears to hear them.
"Her injuries were extensive to her brain. We couldn't stop the bleeding."
Jessica looks down and towards the little blonde girl. Her heart constricts with pain. To be so young and have to witness that type of evil.
"And the mother?"
"Judith suffered head injuries as well but were less extensive. We were able to stop the bleeding but she suffered internal damage to her lungs and abdomen. We had to put her in an induced coma, till her brain swelling goes down. I am very sorry, I wish I had some better news." The doctor shakes his head in grief as he looks over to the blonde in the corner "At least you got there in time…"
"At least"
"Was children services called?"
"Yes. The social worker is on her way."
"Well thank you Doctor Berry."
Jessica slowly walks over to the girl and notices the tears sliding down her face.
"You heard that? Didn't you?" she asks in a small whisper
"Y-yes…" as she opens her eyes more tears fall out and then she is surrounded in Jessica's arms. Quinn sobs. Everything breaks inside. Francis is gone. Her dad killed her sister. Francis, her selfish sometimes mean sister, who use to throw gummy worms in her mouth when she was sleeping, is gone. The idea of someone once existing and no longer around is hard to grasp. Anger and rage fill her insides. Mental screams to God asking why?
"Shhh. It's going to be ok Lucy. You're going to be ok." Jessica repeatedly says into the blonde's hair as she rocks her and strokes her hair.
"Excuse me, Officer Clark?"
Jessica lifts her eyes to the woman in a black pant suit. "Yes" her voice breaks
"I'm Michelle Scott from social services; I'm assigned to Lucy's case."
"My case?" she asks in a small voice
Michelle bends down to meet Quinn at her eye level. "Yes, sweetie. Your mommy is very hurt and we have to find a place for you to go for tonight till we figure out what to do."
"Why can't I stay here with my mom?"
"You can't stay here without supervision. I promise you, you will be ok." Michelle adds with a smile and stands back up and reaching her hand out.
Quinn looks at Jessica and back to Michelle "can I see my mom before we go?"
"I'm not sure, let me go ask the nurse" Michelle says as she walks to the front desk.
Quinn looks back at Jessica. "I'm scared."
"I know sweetie. I know this is a lot to handle and it may all be too much but God doesn't put us in situations we can't handle. There is a reason for everything." She squeezes her shoulder for comfort.
"Ok Lucy come with me." Michelle reaches out her hand again this time Quinn places her hand in hers.
"God doesn't put you in situations you can't handle. Everything happens for a reason" repeats in Quinn's mind as she walks down the hall. The beeping sounds of machines, the smell antiseptic and the sad faces as then walk further down till they finally reach the door at the end. Quinn and Michelle stop right outside. "Go ahead Lucy, I'll be right here when you're ready."
Quinn's shaky hand releases Michelle's hand. Taking a deep breath trembling legs move forward. Judy is laying in the bed, machines attached to her from everywhere. Her head is wrapped in bandages, a tube coming out of her mouth, I.V's in her arms and neck. Her face is swollen and cut up. Bruises are forming on her arms but despite all of the horror she looks so at peace. Quinn places a hand on her mothers and squeezes. "Mom?" she whispers "I'm so sorry." Tears again form. Seriously how much more can she cry?
"I'm sorry daddy hurt you. I'm sorry Francis is go-" pain racks her body and she cries in to her mom's hand "You are all I have left. Please don't leave me. I'll ask God again. Please don't die.."
"Lucy?" Michelle says in a soft voice. "Sweetie, I'm sorry it's time to go."
"Quinn." Quinn says in a strong voice without moving her eyes from Judy.
"Excuse me?" Michelle asks
"My Mom called me Quinn."
"Ok..Quinn, honey. We need to go now."
Quinn leans down and kisses her mother's hand. 'Please don't die' she thinks "I love you mommy."
"Luce, let's go on an adventure!" Francis says suddenly as she turns over on her stomach.
"To where?" Quinn sits up on the grass in their back yard.
"Get on your bike and follow me" she says as she stands up and wipes her hands on her shorts
Quinn follows her sister to the garage. Francis helps Quinn put on her helmet. "Fran, I hate this thing"
"Well I rather you look stupid than you cracking your skull and Dad murdering me." She says rolling her eyes as she snaps the lock under her sister's chin.
With a huff Quinn walks towards her bike. "So where are we going?"
"Just follow me, I found this cool trail with Steph and Lewis"
"You went bike riding in the woods with a Boy?!"
"Shut up before Dad hears you!"
They ride their bikes in silence. Quinn moves her wheel making her bike go zig zags on the sidewalk.
"Hi Mrs. Brown" the girls say as they pass the lady pushing the stroller "Hello girls"
The smooth ground turns bumpy as their wheels hits the grass then dirt. They keep riding a little further as the view of trees open up and a small pond comes to view.
"Wow.."
"Yeah, this is cool." Francis says as she parks her bike against a tree. Quinn follows and does the same.
Francis walks towards the edge of the pond and picks up some rocks. She flicks her wrist and sends the rock skipping across the water. 1.. 2..and it drops in.
"Whoa! How did you do that?" Quinn asks excitedly and picks up some rocks and tries to mimic the same action. The rock drops right in. Francis giggles at her sister's frown.
"Lewis showed me. You have to find a rock with a flat surface like this one then try to throw it like this." She demonstrates and sends the rock skipping 1…2…3…4 and it sinks in.
"that's so cool" the blonde looks back to the ground and searches for a flat rock. She finds a nice one and flicks it like Fran said and the rock slips 1..2..and drops. "hey look! I did it!" she jumps excitedly.
"Yeah you did!"
They continue to skip rocks for a while. Then they sit on the grass listening to the trees as the wind blows. The sound of crickets and frogs. "Fran?"
"Hmm?"
"How do you know when you like someone?"
"What do you mean, like like-like them?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't know, you just do. They make you smile and give you that funny feeling in your stomach."
"Have you ever liked-like anyone?"
"Yeah Lewis." She says with a smile
"He is super funny and smart and plays for the basketball team. He is the first 9th grader in our class to make the junior varsity team."
They went to different school s at this point. Francis just finished her first freshman year in high school. Quinn was still in middle school.
"He sounds cool."
"Yeah." She says dreamily.
"Did you kiss him?"
"Once."
"And?"
"And what? I don't know what it was supposed to be like. It was wet and felt a little weird cause he just finish eating ice cream." She shrugs
"I kissed Lisa." Quinn admits after a while
"Yeah I know." Fran sigh
Nervous hazel eyes glance at her sister "How?"
"She told everyone at lunch on Monday. I had to threaten her."
"She was making fun of me?" Quinn says sadly
"Yeah… She's a bitch. So don't talk to her. I mean it was a mistake right?"
"…."
Francis looks over to her sister "it wasn't a mistake was it?"
"I don't understand it. She makes me feel something. Something I don't feel with anyone. Thomas from school tried to kiss me once and I felt nothing. When I kissed Lisa, it just made sense. You know?" she looks a bit ashamed "Please don't tell mom and dad."
"Hey I'm your sister. I wouldn't tell them this like you won't tell them about Lewis."
"Am I going to hell?"
"Why?"
"Cause I think I like girls, isn't that a sin?"
"But God loves all of us. How can he send you to hell your just a kid? That's mean if he did." Fran replies as she pulls the grass from the ground.
"Do you think I'm weird?"
"No Luce, I think you're awesome and my sister and I'll punch anyone who says differently"
Quinn hugs her sister tightly "Thanks Fran. I love you. You're my best friend."
"I love you too Luce."
Tear filled eyes open in to a dark room. It's the third day Quinn has been at the social services shelter. Judy is still in a coma. Russell is in jail. And Francis.. her funeral is in two days. The past couple of days were filled with questions by police and a lot of time mostly spent on her cot, crying. Michelle was looking for somewhere for Quinn to stay until they find out what is going to happen to Judy. Michelle finally gets in contact with her Family, Judy has an older sister Carmen who is coming down from Michigan. She was listed as Judy's next of kin for the girls.
Quinn hasn't seen her aunt Carmen for the past 2 years after she got married and moved away from Columbus. From what she remembers she was a sweet woman and loved to give the girls lots of hugs. The man she married Tony was a nice man too. They smiled a lot too. Michelle knocks on the door bringing Quinn's attention to her. "Quinn, your aunt is here."
Quinn sits up on the cot and stretches. Fixing her shirt she walks with Michelle to the visitor room. Carmen runs up to her and encases her in a hug. Carmen cries as Quinn stays silent. She's become pretty numb to everything and the only time she cries is in the morning when she dreams about her mom and Francis.
"How are you sweetie?"
"I'm Ok."
"I'm sorry we didn't come sooner. I was out on a conference in Atlanta and I rushed here as soon as I got the message. Uncle Tony will be here later tonight."
"What's going to happen now?" Quinn looks over to Michelle
"Well since you have no other family around here, your aunt has volunteered to take you in as you temporary guardian, until your mom gets better."
"I'm leaving?! No, I'm not leaving mom!"
"I'm sorry sweetie; it's this or a foster home."
"Why can't I stay at my house?"
"The house is still under investigation."
"I have to move…" she says flatly
"Yes sweetie, after the funeral. You need to go back to school." Carmen adds
"What about my friends and my stuff?"
"We'll take some stuff from your house and you will make new friends in An Arbor. It's a wonderful neighborhood Lucy. You'll like it." She hugs the young girl again.
"Quinn." She says in an angry voice. "Dad called me Lucy."
"I'm sorry mommy you couldn't go to the funeral. It was very sad and Francis didn't look like herself." She says as she rubs her mom's hand. "There were a lot of her friends and that boy Lewis she liked. He was crying." She looks at her chest rising and falling. "The doctor says that your brain is getting better and hopefully you can wake up soon. I have to go to Aunt Carmen's house. She said they have a dog Artie and I can play with him. We went to the house and packed some of my things. Aunt Carmen had a cleaning service clean the house after the police finished their investigation." She stares at how her hand looks like her mom's. "Please wake up mommy, I miss you."
A/N: So maybe I'll continue? Thanks for reading, following and reviewing.