Life is Strange 2: Secrets
Chapter 20 of my Life is Strange 2 story, enjoy.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Life is Strange 2 or its characters.
Chapter 20
Having heard of Daniel's rescue and Richard's arrest, still remembering the pictures she had seen, Charlotte arrived at the hospital
'Daniel...oh god...I wish I would have figured things out sooner, oh please be ok...' She thought desperately.
Upon arriving at the correct ward she recognized Sean. Clad in ripped jeans, a light red T-shirt and sneakers, the teen looking distinctly careworn, along with a man, clad in crisp jeans, a dark blue T-shirt and sneakers that she guessed must be Sean and Daniel's father. They both looked up as they heard her approach.
Charlotte spoke at once, introducing herself. "Hi, I'm Miss Hawkins, I'm—Daniel's teacher."
His father nodded. "Ah, hello, Esteban Diaz. Nice to meet you."
[Sean smiled, recognizing her and she smiled back politely, nodding.
"How...how is he?" She asked at last.
It was Sean who replied. "He's still shaken, but he'll make a full recovery, his injuries weren't serious."
Charlotte grimaced, still saddened to hear that he had injuries at all.
"Do you mind if I see him?"
"That, should be fine." Esteban replied, surprised.
Sean nodded. "The police say...you're the one who found the pictures that...creep had of him, helping the police find him?"
"Yes I...I had suspicions about my co-worker. I searched through his desk when he was gone and...that's where I found them." Charlotte admitted. "I just wish I had figured it out sooner, I'm so sorry."
"It...it's alright, we're just glad he was stopped before he...well..." Sean answered.
Charlotte nodded in understanding. "Me too...well, if you don't mind I'm just gonna go visit for a little bit..."
They nodded and she excused herself before entering the room.
Daniel was seated upright in the bed, he started a little when Charlotte entered, but then smiled
"Oh, Miss Hawkins, hi."
Charlotte managed a smile. "Hi Daniel...I just wanted to see how you were doing..."
She took the seat next to his bed.
Daniel nodded. "I...thank you. I just, can't believe Mr. Webster..."
"I know, me too...I'm so sorry he hurt you Daniel...but I promise you he won't ever harm you again." Charlotte said, trying to reassure him.
Daniel smiled. "Yeah, thank you."
She gently placed her hand on his slowly, making sure he was ok with the touch.
She then asked. "How are you feeling? Is there anything you want to talk about? I'm here for you."
Daniel shuddered. "I...what he did to me, he kept...touching me..."
Daniel shifted, clearly in some pain.
"What he...what he was gonna do to me. He said, he said after he was done with me, he was gonna go and grab Chris and do the same to him." Daniel paused before suddenly smiling. "I know it was thanks to you he was stopped."
Charlotte blinked back tears. She hated that man for everything he did and was going to do. She softened after hearing Daniel's last comment last comment however.
"And he'll never harm another child again." She said softly. "I was so worried about you Daniel. You have no idea how happy I am that you're here now, safe."
Daniel nodded. "I know...it's okay though, at least you stopped him getting Chris...and, and Sean and I spoke and, everything's cool now for us."
That filled Charlotte with relief and joy. "Oh I'm so glad to hear that. I was so concerned about you. But I have a feeling we're all in for better times now that it's all over."
Daniel nodded in agreement and Charlotte was glad he was recovering well.
Shortly afterwards, as she left Daniel's room, Charlotte spotted Sean emerging from another hospital room, clearly visiting someone else. Curious she approached him.
"Is everything alright...?"
Sean started but then nodded. "Huh, oh yeah, I was just...Cassidy is here too and our friend Finn, they...they had serious trouble, nearly got killed."
"Oh my...is she ok?" Charlotte gasped, shocked.
Sean hesitated. "It...she'll live, it's, it's gonna be tricky for a while. Is Daniel still doing okay?"
Charlotte nodded. "Y-yeah, he's alright. He told me you guys worked out your differences, I was glad to hear that."
Sean managed a smile at that. "Yeah, I...he's happy for me and Cassidy now. I...I better go and see Daniel again."
He did so and Charlotte paused, thinking about Cassidy, remembering the first time she met the young woman, playing her guitar on the street corner and then when they met in the pharmacy, how worried she had been, looking for a pregnancy test. Taking a deep breathe she decided to see if there was any help she could offer. She turned and entered Cassidy's room.
"Hey...Cassidy, it's been a while."
The girl was lying in her hospital bed, the covers pulled up to the base of her neck, she was facing away from the door and tensed slightly, but then recognized the voice.
"Oh, hey...Charlotte right?"
Charlotte smiled. "Yeah...Sean told me you were hurt...I just wanted to see how you were doing."
"Oh, I um..."
Cassidy seemed to consider something before making up her mind and turning to properly face Charlotte, who now saw the gauze and bandages covering the girl's right eye, stained with blood. It was immediately apparent the eye had been cut out.
Seeing this startled Charlotte.
"Oh my...Cassidy I'm so sorry...who...who did this to you...?" She gasped in horror.
Cassidy shifted uneasily. "I...I was part of a group, you probably heard of them. All those raids that were happening, I wasn't personally part of that, since I was out with Sean those night. But that was my group."
Charlotte nodded remembering hearing about those incidents in the news.
"I...there was a deal between me and the leader of the group, to make sure none of the other guys in the group touched me..." Cassidy revealed, before shuddering. "I was his bed warmer in return for his protection."
Charlotte's eyes widened, horrified to hear this, not that she was involved with those people, but because of what they did to her.
She shook her head. "Oh Cassidy, I'm...I'm so sorry..."
"Yeah well, then I ended up with Sean, that complicated things, especially when, well, you guessed why I was at the pharmacy and when our leader found out, he went crazy, demanded I tell him who the father was...I didn't even know myself." Cassidy continued. "When I wouldn't talk he took his knife and, well..."
She gestured to her eye before the shaky gasp dissolved into tears. Charlotte startled both Cassidy and herself when she gently grabs Cassidy's hand.
"And the baby...?"
Cassidy's eye widened and she bit her lip, a look of wonder on her face.
"That's the thing I...despite everything he did to me, to Finn, the way he tortured us. I thought the baby was gone for sure, they, they panicked, couldn't find a heartbeat..."
Charlotte tensed, worried for her answer. "And?"
"But then, then they found the heartbeat." Cassidy grinned, a hand moving to her stomach. "The baby's okay..."
Charlotte relaxed, a smile forming on her face.
She couldn't help but feel joy at the news.
"Oh Cassidy...that's wonderful!" She exclaimed.
Cassidy hesitated. "Y-yeah...I...We still don't know who the father is."
Charlotte paused, considering her concerns.
"Well, if it eases your mind, just because the baby may biologically be a man's child, that doesn't make them their father. Their father is whoever decides to step into that role for them. Perhaps...Sean, or someone else down the line or maybe you decide to raise this baby yourself." She explained as gently as she could. "Right now you just need to focus on getting better, taking care of yourself. For you and your baby."
"I...thank you ma'am, I...I never thought of settling down, always said I wouldn't, but now, with Sean. I feel that maybe I could, he also said he didn't care if the child was biologically his...he was willing to be the dad." Cassidy revealed, a smile appearing on her face.
Charlotte smiled. "See? It sounds like this baby is loved already. I have no doubt you and Sean would be good parents."
"I...thank you ma'am."
Charlotte stood up. "Well, I should get going. I wish you a good recovery, you're strong, you and Daniel and Finn will pull through this I just know it."
Cassidy nodded, smiling and as Charlotte left she allowed herself to relax, finally, she could see it, hope for the future.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please, nearing the end now, just three more chapters to go.