Sam's POV
The next time I opened my eyes I saw Two-Bit sitting in the chair next to the bed, staring at me. I returned the stare and he smiled at me.
"How are you feeling?" I ignored his question and asked one of my own instead.
"You know?" He shifted uncomfortably.
"Yeah. I'm sor-"
"He won't be coming to see me, will he?" Two-Bit didn't say anything, just shook his head and I turned to stare at the wall.
"I'm glad you're awake. I didn't wanna leave but I had to eat and have a shower. I nearly lost it when they told me you'd woken up after I'd left yesterday. It was just my luck."
"Why are you here?" Two-Bit frowned.
"I had to make sure you were okay."
"You've seen I'm fine, you can go now." I still couldn't look at him but I heard him get up and leave, closing the door behind him.
He'd found out, and now he didn't even want to come to me so I could explain. Would I though? Would I have told him how stupid I'd been that day, maybe it was for the best. Maybe it was better to have him hate me and move on. I knew he hated me, after what he told me about Soda and his ex-girlfriend I'd be surprised if he didn't hate all women now.
As much as I tried to tell myself he was better off, that I'd get over him one day, I was still in pain. This was worse than physical pain, I knew I'd recover from that, this pain cut right through my heart to my very soul. I'd lost him. And I'd have to live with that for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes, curled into a tight ball and went to sleep.
XXXX
"Sam? Sam, are you awake?"
I opened my eyes to see a strange lady standing over my bed.
"Yeah I am now." I struggled to sit up while she watched me. Gee lady thanks for your help, I thought.
"Sam, my name is Marie Bradford and I'm with Social Services, how are you feeling?" She'd seemed nice enough but at the mention of social services my eyes narrowed and I was instantly wary, I was gonna have to tread very carefully.
"I'm feeling better. Why are you here?" She took a seat next to my bed.
"Because you're an injured child and no-one has made any claim to you, it's my job to be here." That stung.
"I'm not a child."
"You're under 18 which means you're not legally an adult, which means you're a child." She wasn't unkind about this but I glared at her anyway and didn't say anything so she continued. "Now why don't you tell me a bit about yourself, like where you've been staying?" I was surprised.
"You haven't spoken to anyone? Any...friends?" She flipped through some of her paperwork she was holding.
"I spoke to a Darryl Curtis on Friday. He said he'd seen you around a few times but that was all. Keith Matthews said you were a good friend but didn't know where you lived. He couldn't tell me much at all about you actually, just that he was with you when the accident occurred. He spent a night in hospital being treated for shock."
I couldn't take it all in. Darry denied even knowing me? After all these weeks I'd spent living with him and he refused to admit it? And Two-Bit had been treated for shock, I'd had no idea! He never said anything. She didn't even mention him or Soda, does that mean she didn't speak to them, or that they had nothing to say? I just shook my head at it all and I think she thought I was refusing to answer her.
"Look I've got my assistant back at the office searching missing persons reports for teenage girls matching your description, what is she going to find exactly? We can do this the easy way or the hard way it's up to you. But either way I think it's time you learned a little responsibility and you can start by answering my questions." I raised my eyebrows at her fake soft voice.
"Responsibility? You think I'm irresponsible? You don't know anything about me."
"I know you're a 16 year old girl who until recently was pregnant and has no idea of road safety. No-one seems to know who you really are or where you came from and I'd guess you live on the streets. So yes I think it's time you learnt to be a big girl and take responsibility for your actions." Who does this bitch think she is?!
"Fuck you! How dare you simplify my life like that you don't know shit about me! GET OUT!" I pointed to the door and as I did the nurse from yesterday entered looking flustered.
"Miss Bradford! I allowed you to question this patient not interrogate her into a state of hysterics while she is trying to recover from a car accident! Would you be so kind as to leave and let my patient recover, you can come back another day." The bitch stood up and took one more look at me.
"You're being discharged on Tuesday. I'll be here to collect you then." I was shaking as she left and wanted to burst into tears. The nurse settled me back into bed and smiled at me.
"I'm sorry."
"You're not gonna tell me that everything will be alright?"
"No."
"Good, I hate those words." She smiled at me again and patted my arm comfortingly before turning to leave.
"Wait!" she turned back to me and waited. "My clothes from that day, where are they?"
"In a bag under your bed."
"Thanks." I managed a small smile for her and she left. No way was that lady from Social Services taking me anywhere on Tuesday cause I was busting out! Early tomorrow morning I'd get my clothes and sneak out. I'd do it when there wouldn't be many people around, maybe around 3 or 4am. I'd have to hide out for a while till there was no-one at the Curtis' and then I'd grab my stuff and leave. I just hoped he hadn't thrown all my stuff out. Or burnt it perhaps.
XXXX
I wish I had an alarm of some sort. I was having trouble staying awake. I didn't know how I was supposed to make it through a hospital full of people undetected if I was about to fall asleep.
At 2:10am I was sick of waiting and crept out of my bed to get dressed. I had hoped never to wear these blood stained clothes again but desperate times called for desperate measures, I tried to ignore the blood on them. I poked my head out the door and saw the hall was deserted. I tried to walk calmly but I couldn't help but hurry.
I pressed the button for the elevator and waited, trying to look like I was supposed to be in a hospital at 2am. I was just glad I didn't have anything hooked up to me anymore. When the elevator dinged I was relieved to see it was empty and stepped in. I was about to press the button for the foyer when I saw one marked car park and pressed that instead. If I went through the foyer someone would be bound to stop me.
I came down to the underground car park and looked around, there were only a few cars here belonging to the poor suckers on graveyard shift and I headed straight over to a set of stairs that led to the street and that was it. I was free! Homeless, but at least free.
Now I just had to lay low somewhere for a few hours. I considered going to Buck's but I had no money on me for a room and even though it was a Monday night there was a chance I'd run into one of the guys. I would have gone to the Shepard's but I couldn't remember where they lived and I wasn't going to wander the streets, chancing I'd come across their house.
I ended up going to the park. I'd spent my first night in Tulsa there and since this would be my last night it made sense. Thought this time I headed for the cover of a bunch of trees rather than in the open.
When I woke up I headed straight for the Curtis'. I decided I'd stake out the house to make sure no-one was home, then I'd creep in and grab my stuff. I stood in the shade of a tree a few houses down and watched the house for over an hour. There were no cars but I wanted to be doubly sure and after not seeing any sign of movement the entire time I was there I decided to make my way over.
I snuck around the side and stood on tiptoe to peer into the window. The living room was empty so I went around to the back stairs and quietly entered. I stood in the kitchen and looked around, all the breakfast dishes had been washed so I assumed everyone was at work. I still tread very quietly and rechecked the living room before heading to my old room. All my stuff was still there so I grabbed a garbage bag and started gathering my things, grabbing my money from my sock drawer first.
"Stealing?" I gasped and dropped my bag, spinning around to see Two-Bit leaning against the door frame with his arms folded over his chest. I breathed a sigh of relief and continued to gather my clothes.
"What are you doing here, Two-Bit?"
"I saw a suspicious looking character with a cast on her wrist sneaking around my friends place, thought I'd better check it out." I rolled my eyes at him as I headed for the bathroom and knelt on the floor to empty the cupboard. "Where you planning on going?"
"I thought it was finally time I took that bus outta here."
"Sounds like a plan. I had a better one though." I looked up at him but he just turned and walked away. I stood, following him slowly to the kitchen. I stood in the doorway, watching him get himself a beer and sit at the table.
"What's your idea?" I asked guardedly and he gestured to the seat opposite him.
"Sit down and I'll explain." I did but not before getting myself a beer too, not because I wanted one but it felt good to rebel a bit. Two-Bit raised an eyebrow at that but didn't say anything about it.
"Let's make this quick, I have a bus to catch." Two-Bit didn't beat around the bush.
"Stay with me." I just stared at him.
"Like, at your house?" He nodded and I laughed.
"Thanks, Two-Bit, but I think I'll pass."
"Why?" He looked hurt and I couldn't comprehend why.
"Why do you want me to stay? All the rest of the guys hate me."
"They don't hate you." Two-Bit started but I cut him off.
"Save it, Two-Bit and answer my question."
"Because you're my friend. No, you're more than that, you're like another sister to me and I take care of my family. When I saw that car hit you, when I held your body in my arms I thought you were dead. I can't explain what that felt like. There was so much blood and I couldn't stop it. I talked to you. I begged you not to leave me, did you know that?" he looked up to meet my eyes and I saw there were tears in them. "This isn't a pity offer, I'm not asking you because I feel sorry for you. I already thought I lost you once, I don't wanna go through that again. Please? At least until you can figure out where to go from here. You can't tell me you actually have a plan?"
I looked at him as I thought it over. As much as I knew I should leave town asap I honestly didn't want to. I liked it here and I had friends, well I had Two-Bit, at least he hadn't abandoned me. I didn't want to go to a new town and start over. As long as I quit work and never went to Buck's again I'd probably never even see any of the other guys. Maybe I should give it a go.
"I'll stay with you on one condition."
"What?"
"Protect me from the gang?" I asked with a smile and Two-Bit laughed.
"Sure thing." I finished packing up my things and made Two-Bit check the street for any of the guys before we took our beers and headed for his place.
"I'm gonna have to find a new job now."
"You didn't get fired did you? That's not very fair, it's not like you asked for that car to hit you."
"No I didn't get fired, but there's no way I'm going back and working with him." We continued on in silence, Two-Bit understood. "No more Buck's either, or the DX."
"You don't have to turn into a total recluse just because you don't wanna run into him. These are your streets too you know."
"Yeah, I know." I didn't say anything else and Two-Bit gestured at my cast.
"What are you gonna do when it's time to get that off?"
"I could go to the free clinic. Or you could cut it off for me." Two-Bit laughed.
"Yeah hold still while I get my chainsaw." I laughed with him.
"I've got 4 weeks with it on, I'll worry about it then."
"Good thinking. So if you're trying to lay low does that mean you don't wanna come to Buck's tonight?"
"I think I'm gonna be sleeping all night, I had to stay awake to escape from the hospital. But you go ahead."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, escape? You mean you weren't discharged?" I grinned.
"Nope. A social worker came in yesterday and told me since I was an injured, irresponsible, underage and unclaimed child she was taking me into state care after my release on Tuesday. So at 2am this morning I took the elevator down to the car park and walked right out." Two-Bit doubled over laughing and I had to grin.
"You're a genius!"
"Thanks."
"Don't worry, your injuries will heal, with any luck you'll stay irresponsible like me, you won't always be underage and now I'm claiming you. All your problems are solved!" he threw an arm around my shoulder and I tried to smile. If all my problems were solved, why did it feel as though they were just beginning?