Chapter Seven
ALPOV:
When Jeb returned from talking to Doc he looked furious. "Isaiah, I want you to go get Freedom and take him to the game room. Jared, round everyone else up for a trial," commands Jeb before turning to me. "We'll get all of this sorted out sweetheart." With that said they all leave the room. I look over at Aiden who was watching me as Doc wrapped his twisted ankle.
"Are you okay, Aiden?" I ask eying his twisted ankle.
"I think I should be asking you that question," says Aiden coldly.
"I'll heal," I say quietly as I look down at the floor. I hadn't wanted to put Freedom on trial. I knew that if everyone decided that he was guilty enough that Jeb would shoot him, and I didn't want Freedom killed! I just wanted him to leave me alone and understand that I wasn't interested in him like that.
"Freedom isn't going to get shot, Alice," says Aiden. Sometimes it was like Aiden could read my mind.
"How can you be so sure, Aiden?" I ask incredulously. Everyone in the cave knew that Jeb wasn't afraid to pull the trigger if he had to. Our uncle Kyle had almost been shot when he tried to kill our mother back before we were born. It was even before she was in the body she had now.
"Freedom isn't a bad guy, sis. He's just...confused. I'm sure Jeb will come up with a suitable punishment for hurting you," says Aiden in a reassuring tone.
"I agree with your brother, Alice. Freedom isn't going to die today," says Doc as he stands up and walks over to his cabinet. He comes back with a container of No Pain. "Aiden, would you like some No Pain for your ankle?"
"Yes, please," says Aiden. Doc gives Aiden some No Pain before walking over to me and giving me some as well. He didn't have to ask to know that I needed it. I was probably going to need a lot of it if I expected to get to the end of the day with my injuries.
Just then mom and dad run in and over to me. "Are you okay?" asks mom as she looks me up and down.
"I'm gonna beat the shit outta that kid," growls Ian as he looks me over as well.
"I'll be fine. What about Aiden? He twisted his ankle," I say looking over at Aiden who was glaring at me. I knew he didn't want me to shift the attention to him. He wasn't worried about himself, he was worried about me, and he wanted everyone else to be worried about me too. He was content with being ignored. Of course mom and dad were worried about him too and went to his side to ask him what had happened.
"I just tripped. I'll be fine in a week or so. Alice is the real victim here," says Aiden. It was my turn to glare at Aiden; I was not a victim, and I didn't want to be treated like one. Then Isaiah comes in and was by my side again.
"Jeb's ready for the trial," says Isaiah. "He wanted me to bring you so you can testify." The thought of the river enters my mind again and I shudder.
"I can't," I whimper. It was bad enough that Freedom was being judged for what happened to me, but I wasn't about to tell everyone what really happened. He'd throw me into the river first chance he got, I was sure of it.
"Why can't you?" asks Isaiah. I shake my head, not willing to explain. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes as Freedom's threats fill my thoughts.
"Did he threaten you?" demands dad. I shake my head vehemently trying to deny it as sobs rack my body. Mom walks back to me and hugs me tightly.
"Everything is going to be okay, Alice. You don't have to be afraid to tell us anything. No one is going to let Freedom hurt you," says mom.
"You don't know that! I can't be watched every minute of the day! He'll get me when everyone least expects it!" I sob. It didn't occur to me at that moment that I had admitted to being threatened.
"What's the hold up?" demands Jeb as he walks into the room.
"Alice is afraid that Freedom will hurt her if she testifies," explains Isaiah. Jeb grunts and walks over to me.
"Now you listen to ol' grampa Jeb. No one is going to be hurting you for testifying against Freedom. Especially not Freedom himself. So get your head together and c'mon," says Jeb before walking back out. I wipe my tears away and get down from the cot before walking over to Isaiah and taking his hand in mine. Isaiah seemed to understand that I needed him at this moment, because he gives my hand a gentle squeeze before pulling me closer to his side.
"I promise to stay by your side the whole time. Even when you testify," says Isaiah. I nod and tighten my grip on Isaiah even more. Dad clears his throat.
"Alice—"
"Hush Ian. Let her do what she wants," says mom. Dad grumbles something, but doesn't try to stop me from being with Isaiah as we make our way to the game room for the trial.
When we get there Freedom was sitting between uncle Kyle and uncle Jared. As soon as he sees me he glares and mouths the word "river". I whimper and take a step back. Isaiah notices and stops to look at me.
"What's wrong?" asks Isaiah.
"I can't...," I whimper.
"Okay, now that we're all here..." begins Jeb. Immediately everyone becomes quiet. "We're here because Freedom is accused of badly injuring Alice and threatening to kill her. Alice, would you like to tell everyone exactly what happened?" asks Jeb.
"I can't!" I sob before turning and running out of the room.
"Allie!" I hear Isaiah call from behind me, but I didn't slow down or stop as I ran back to my room and sit down on my bed as sobs rack my body. It wasn't long before a set of arms were wrapping around me and I could smell Isaiah's familiar scent as he held me to his chest. He doesn't say anything as I cried into his chest. I was scared. Freedom knew it was my fault that he was getting into trouble. He knew that I told on him. He was going to throw me into the river! Soon the sobs subside and I was able to pull away from Isaiah.
"Thank you," I whisper.
"I didn't do anything, Allie," says Isaiah.
"You're here," I whisper, blushing. Isaiah chuckles and kisses my forehead.
"I'm always going to be here for you, Allie," says Isaiah with such conviction in his voice that I believed him.
"I know," I whisper as I lay my head on his chest.
"So, why did you run?" asks Isaiah.
"Freedom..." I admit.
"What did he do?" asks Isaiah.
"He reminded me of the river," I whisper, new sobs threatening to break through.
"That will never happen, Allie. I won't let it. I'll throw Freedom into the river before he gets to hurt you ever again," says Isaiah as his embrace around me tightens. I sob again.
"Please don't hurt your brother, Isaiah. Please!" I beg. Isaiah begins rocking me as he rubs my back, trying to soothe me.
"Promise me, Isaiah!" I beg.
"I won't," says Isaiah. I nod my head not catching that 'I won't' could have meant 'I won't hurt Freedom' or 'I won't promise not to hurt Freedom.' . "You should rest, Allie. I'll be here when you wake up."
"But my dad..." I mumble already half asleep. Isaiah chuckles.
"Your dad isn't that scary Allie. I won't let him get rid of me," says Isaiah. Then he said something else, but I was already asleep.
"Alice, it's time to go," says a familiar voice as I'm gently shaken awake. I look up drowsily and see Jared and dad standing over me. I gasp and look around and find that Isaiah is sitting next to me with a worried expression on his face.
"Go where?" I ask warily.
"To the hospital," says dad looking pointedly at my broken arm. I gasp as I remember that my arm was broken. Remembering only seemed to bring the pain back and tears well up in my eyes. It hurt so much.
"Can Isaiah come with me?" I plead looking back at Isaiah.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea," says Jared.
"Then I'm not going," I say stubbornly, but the effect I wanted was weakened by my tears.
"Alice, you have to go," says Isaiah.
"Not without you!" I argue. Jared groans and looks at me with a frown on his face.
"Fine, come on, we can't waste time," says Jared. With that said he walks out of the room. Dad glares at Isaiah before following him. Isaiah stands up and pulls me to my feet and we walk out of my room. Mom was standing next to dad and Jared.
"How do you feel?" asks Mom.
"My arm hurts," I admit. I was still crying a little.
"We'll get you to the hospital, but it'll still be a little while," says mom apologetically.
"Okay," I whisper. It wasn't much longer after that that Jared, mom, dad, Isaiah, and I were in the jeep and mom was driving us down a highway. Dad was sitting in the back between Isaiah and I and had his arm wrapped around me. I was getting angrier as the trip progressed and I could see Isaiah scowling at my dad out of the corner of my eye.
"Dad, I wanted to sit next to Isaiah," I whine for what felt like the hundredth time.
"You should have gotten in faster then, sweetheart," says Dad. "It's too late to change spots now." I glare at dad for a moment before turning my head to look out the window. I was the first one in the jeep! Isaiah was about to get in next to me, but dad pushed him out of the way and jumped into the middle seat so Isaiah had to sit on the other side of him.
"You're being immature, dad!" I grumble. Dad seemed to choose to ignore my comment.
"You can sit next to Isaiah on the way back, sweetheart," says mom giving dad a look through the rear-view mirror. Now it was dad's turn to pout.
"But Wanda...!" he starts.
"You'll be sitting up front with me Ian O'Shea," says mom in a tone that left no room for argument. A couple of hours later we were in the parking lot of a hospital. The plan was for mom and I to go into the hospital alone, the others were to stay just in case. When we got inside the woman at the reception desk took one look at my arm and was horrified.
"Oh dear what happened to you?" she asks before picking up a microphone. "I need a hearler out here immediately!"
"I'm afraid that my daughter, Sunshine Reflected in the Water, fell out of a tree and broke her arm. I put a splint on it so that she didn't injure it further," says mom. As I listened I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. What kind of name was Sunshine Reflected in the Water? I was glad it wasn't really my name. Then a second woman comes in and sees me.
"Right this way please," she says. I nod and follow the woman into a small room.
"My name it Kathy, and I will be your healer. Can you tell me your name?" she asks.
"It's Sunshine Reflected in the Water, but you can call me Sunny," I say as Kathy walks over to a cabinet and comes back with a bottle of No Pain.
"Okay, Sunny. I'm sure you must be in a great deal of pain so I'm going to give you some No Pain and then we'll get your arm x-rayed," says Kathy as she hands me a piece of no pain and a glass of water.
After the x-ray Kathy had to reposition my arm so that the two broken ends were lined up correctly, and then she gave me something to drink called Repair. After a few minutes Kathy lets go of my arm and smiles at me. "How's that?" she asks. I was confused, but I try to move my arm and find that I could!
"I can move it!" I say excitedly. Kathy smiles and nods.
"Yes. It was a pleasure healing you, Sunny. Take care, okay?" she asks.
"I promise," I say before getting up and leaving the room. When I got back out to the waiting room my mom wasn't there. I look around worried that something had happened, that I had missed something important while I was getting my arm fixed. I go to the receptionist who was reading a book.
"Excuse me, have you seen my mother?" I ask. The receptionist looks up at me and smiles.
"You're healed? That was quick. Your mother asked to speak to a healer. You may have a seat, she won't be long," says the receptionist.
"Thank you," I say before walking to a chair and sitting down. I didn't have to wait much longer for mom to come back, and when she did she looked really happy about something.
"Are you healed already?" asks mom. I nod and she smiles. "Let's go then. Thank you, Weaver."
"You are very welcome Rider," says the receptionist. When we go back out to the jeep dad was up front and Jared and Isaiah were in the back seat.
"How did it go?" asks dad when we get in.
"That didn't take very long," says Jared.
"I know right? All I had to do was get an X-ray and drink some stuff! We would have been out here sooner, but I had to wait for mom," I say.
"Why? Are you sick Wanda?" asks dad looking at mom with a worried expression.
"No, Ian. I'm perfectly healthy," says mom as she starts the car and begins driving.
"So why did Alice have to wait for you?" asks dad.
"Well, remember the last time I went to the healer? It's just like that," says mom causing dad to gasp and his face to break into a huge grin.
"Really?" he asks. When mom nods dad cheers loudly before reaching over to hug mom.
"I don't get it...," I say warily.
"You're going to be a big sister, Alice!" says dad excitedly.
End Chapter
A/N: Yay, finally updated Growing Up! Sorry it took me so long...Thanks for reading! Anyway, I got the idea to make Wanda a mom while I was at work...Yeah...I work 12 hours and the most thinking I do is when I count to 12...needless to say I have lots of time to daydream while I'm at work...12 whole hours of daydreaming! That's some dangerous stuff right there. But it gives me time to think up ideas for my story. Next chapter we'll find out Freedom's punishment (since I forgot to add it to this chapter. Let's just say Alice was more worried about her arm than Freedom.) Also, Alice and Isaiah start spending more time together and there will be a new cave member! Jamie will be getting a new friend! And as soon as I go back through my reviews I'll figure out who I'm supposed to be giving credit to for this particular idea. Sorry to whoever it was...Oh and kind of off topic here...I bought Eclipse! Yeah, totally amazing! Jasper was totally hott! Yeah...forget Edward and Jake, I'm Team Jasper! Oh...and has anyone heard anymore about The Host becoming a movie? Stephenie Meyer hasn't really updated on that topic...I'm really curious about how it will turn out. And who will play Melanie/Wanda and Jared and everyone else...hmm... Please Review! Sayonara! =]