14. Not again
At eight and a half months pregnant Joan was irritable and tired all the time. She had refused to go on maternity leave until a week before her due date despite Annie and Arthur's constant pleas.
the DNI agreed with Joan only because she scared him,with her rapidly changing emotions , his only condition was that Annie was to go every where Joan went and that Annie was to be restricted to desk duty whilst Joan was at work.
Annie agreed to the condition to pacify Joan .
Tuesday morning Joan and Annie were sitting it what had become 'their ' office when Annie said "Joan, I am going to move out soon"
"Whh...?" Joan asked stunned
"I am going to move out so that you and Arthur have more time to bond with the babies and you can turn my room into one of their bedrooms"
"Annie " Joan interrupted "please please please stay please. I need you... Please I don't know anything about babies " Joan's hormones caused her to cry whilst she sadly pleaded with Annie .
Looking up Annie saw Joan's tears and rushed over to hug her and lull her. She agreed to stay for a little while longer whilst the babies were little .
Joan and Annie finished at 1 pm everyday a part of Joan's maternity arrangement with the DNI , they had been home for a bout an hour Joan was lying down on the couch watching tv whilst Annie was making them a snack , when suddenly there was a loud obnoxious knocking on the door.
As Joan opened the door , Annie emerged from the kitchen , letting out a shocked gasp when she saw their mother standing at the door looking at Joan cruelly .
Joan hadn't taken notice to her mother posture or facial expression when she asked "mother what are you doing here?"
As soon as Annie had noticed the look and body posture of Elaine she went to put herself between Joan and their mother . Joan looked at Annie strangely as she was shoved softly back further into the hall way .
Annie put her hand in her pocket as she blindly speed dial Arthur whom she knew would answer . Giving it a few seconds just long enough for Arthur to answer the phone Annie spoke "Elaine why are you here ?"
Arthur having just answered his phone cursed before hurrying to clear and finish the meeting he was currently in .
Elaine glared at Annie and said "Joan we need to speak privately "
"Not going to happen" Annie snapped before Joan could speak "Annie " Joan whispered
"I think Joan can speak for herself"Elaine snapped back
"She can but In this case your not going to be alone with her" Annie spoke viscously
"Annie-" Joan interrupted , Annie looked and Joan silently pleading with her to just go with it "Joan please" Annie whispered . Joan looked at Annie and nodded signalling she'd follow what Annie was doing
"Move out of the way skank , I will be speaking to my daughter" Elaine snaps
"Make me !" Annie replies with a smirk
"Fine" Elaine snapped pulling a knife from her pocket and stabbing Annie in the left side .
Joan couldn't see what happened until she saw her mother pull the knife from Annie's side and move to stab her again. Although Annie was hurt she fought back hard , as Elaine and Annie struggled for the knife , Annie yelled at Joan "Joan go to your room lock the door and don't come out until I tell you to"
"Wha-NO Annie your hurt!" Joan cried
"And your pregnant go now Arthur will be here soon. I'll be fine Joan go!" Annie yelled as she was slashed with the knife
Joan did as instructed , locking her self in her room she felt helpless and angry that she couldn't protect Annie but that Annie was protecting her , she pulled out her phone to call Arthur to check how much longer he'd be , he answered on the first ring ,
"Annie I am 5minutes away" Arthur answered expecting Annie to be on the other side of the phone call.
"Ar-Arthur it's me" Joan whispered
"Joan? Are you okay?! What's going on Annie called and I heard her ask why Elaine was there ?"
"I I am okay but Annie Elaine she stabbed her" Joan croaked back
"Is Elaine gone? Are you with Annie?" Arthur asked.
"No she's still here , Annie was fight with her trying to get the knife and keep her away from me she.."
"What did Annie do ?"
"She she told me to to go to my room and lock the door not to come out until she told me ... Arthur I tried arguing and telling her no she's hurt but I don't know how bad , she told me to leave the room and that she'd be fine cause you'd be here soon to help her but I don't know how hurt she is Arthur" Joan began sobbing
"Joan, Annie did the right thing she's trying to protect you and the babies . I am pulling up now I'll come get you in a minute just stay in the room please. I'll check on Annie and deal with Elaine okay? Everything is going to be fine" Arthur tried to reassure Joan before he hung up and raced into the entry where he found an obviously weakened Annie still fighting a visually angered Elaine
Moving quietly behind Elaine , Arthur hit her over the head with his briefcase effectively knocking her out . He then quickly tied her hands up with his tie and bound her feet with a t-shirt .
Standing up Arthur called 911 for police assistance and an ambulance for Annie .
"Annie , how bad are you hurt" he asked
"Um a stab to my left side just above my hip, a slash to my right shoulder, another stab to my rib cage I think it missed my lung and a couple more slashes, I may have broken my wrist in the struggle for the knife "
"God, Annie sit down the a ambulance will be here soon " Arthur responded
"No Arthur I have to go get Joan , I told her to stay in her room until I came to get her" she responded
"I know she called me to see how much longer I'd be , why don't you sit and I'll get Joan okay?"
"Arthur I probably scared her and I yelled at her please I need to go get her "
"Ugh fine I am coming with you though" with that the pair slowly due to Annie's injuries made their way up the stairs . Knocking on the door Annie said "Joan it's okay , you can come out now"
As soon as Annie finished speaking she was wrapped in a bone crushing hug , "I am sorry Annie I am so so so sorry are you okay , what happened, how badly are you hurt?" Joan fired off questions
" Joan I am okay are you and the babies okay?" Annie asked
"We are fine, but I saw you get stabbed !"
"I'll be fine Joan "
The paramedics and police burst through the door, as the trio make it to the bottom of the stairs ,Annie was taken to the ambulance with Joan who refused to leave her side . Arthur explained what he knew to the police and Elaine was arrested .
At the hospital Annie was taken into surgery to clean and close up her stab wounds and set her right wrist which she had broken .
Joan and Arthur sat in the waiting room as Auggie burst through "Auggie!" Joan called
"Joan ,, your okay where's Annie what happened Is she okay ?"
"She's in surgery she broke her wrist and has multiple stab wounds" Arthur broke in
"Arthur what happen " Auggie repeated
"My mother turned up at the house and I opened the door when Annie came up behind me and saw who it was she pushed me further into the house and got between Elaine and myself. Elaine said she wanted to speak to me privately and Annie wouldn't let her anywhere near me she told Elaine after arguing for a little bit that if she wanted to speak to she would have to make Annie move first the next thing I saw was Elaine pulling the knife out of Annie's side. Then Annie started fighting and trying to take the knife from Elaine she yelled at me to lock myself in my room not to come out until she said so ,I tried to protest and that Arthur would be there soon to help her . I did what she asked and I called Arthur to ask when he'd get there in didn't know how badly hurt Annie was " Joan recounted
"Why does she always have to be the hero" mutter Auggie
"It's an Annie thing " they all responded at the same time
Before anyone could speak the doctor came out to let them know Annie had been moved to her room and that she was fine, Joan immediately demanded to be taken to her sister.
They were all relocated to Annie's room , waiting for her to wake up
Authors note - sorry I haven't updated in so long, I have writers block and I've been quite sick, private message or review If you have any input or ideas on what should happen next thank you so much for reading my story and I look forward to hearing from you .