Disclaimer: I don't own Higher Ground it belongs to people who are too stupid to keep it on. I own whom you don't recognize.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'd really like 10 before I pos the next part. I know you guys can do it J. Thanks!! Good luck to everyone else that is beginning midterms soon!
Part Eight
They found Kaitlyn in the same place Daisy had left her. She was seated by the sinks her back against the wall and her knees clutched to her chest. Her eyes unfocused but fixed on some point directly in front of her. She didn't respond to any of their calls or questions. It was truly as if she wasn't there. The thunder roared outside as the chaos ensued inside.
"Oh shit." Scott said as he looked at Shelby
"What?" she asked anxiously. "Do you know what's wrong?"
"Yeah." He responded.
"Well, are you going to tell us or just stand there and look good." Daisy shouted, she wasn't in a patient mood.
"It's the storm. They terrify her."
"So much that she becomes comatose?" Daisy asked sarcastically as she was skeptical to the explanation.
"It's not that. When she was 12 years old her mom and her went out to dinner to celebrate something. I forget what, but anyway, a huge storm hit the town. Thunder and lightening and just sheets of rain it was hard to see your hand in front of your face. And on the way home they got into an accident. The car slid on some wet leaves and they crashed into the guardrail. Her mom was killed and Kaitlyn was injured. Storms they, they take her back to that night. It replays over and over in her head. It's a waking nightmare." Scott said as he paced back and forth in the small room.
"So this has happened before?" Shel asked him, trying to get him to calm down.
"Yeah it happened a lot right after her mom's death. It tapered off but some things just set it off in her."
Scott sat down next to Kaitlyn. She still didn't respond at all, but her body was trembling. Scott just picked her up and moved her into his embrace that way his arms were around her, just holding her. Daisy had left to get Peter and Sophie.
"She use to come over to my house during every storm. Didn't matter if it was 3 in morning, cause I made her feel safe. But I hate seeing her like this. It tears me up inside. Cause I can't do anything."
"Scott. What can we do?" Sophie asked upon entering.
"Nothing really. The first time it happened her dad rushed her to the hospital and they couldn't really do anything. It can last anywhere from minutes to hours. It's best if she just comes out of it naturally cause if you force her to wake up, well it's just bad…"
"What happened?" asked Peter.
"She screamed until her throat was raw." Scott answered in a pained voice. "She'll come out of it after awhile and she will usually just cry until her body shuts down and she'll sleep for a long time."
Everyone took in this information as they looked at the blonde boy cradling the shaking girl.
"I'm staying with her. You can't make me leave." He said defensively. Peter just nodded in agreement. He was already deep in thought about how this all had affected Kait.
The next hour passed with Scott holding Kaitlyn and Shelby staying with Scott leaning her head against his shoulder. She knew he had to be here, to try and protect her like he couldn't before.
"Has she ever told you exactly what she sees?" Shelby questioned.
"No not really. Just that it's the accident. I don't want to press for details."
Shelby tucked this information away. And resumed the silence.
The images kept flying in Kaitlyn's mind. She saw it all again and again. The blood mixing in with the rain, the smell of the burnt tires, the sounds of her mother's screams being drowned out by the thunder. The other night came to her too. The feel of hands tearing at her clothes, at her body, the pain and sickness that coursed through her body and mind. Finally it all shattered and she screamed.
Scott held her down as she tried to run. His arms around her cut off her scream.
"Just breathe. I'm here. Calm down I'm here. I'm not going to leave. You're safe." He kept telling her.
It took her a moment to get her bearings, "Scott?" she looked at him and the recognition came swiftly "My angel."
"That's right Tinkerbell." He responded as she quietly began to sob into his chest.
Shelby just watched, not sure of her place. As Kaitlyn lifted her head she saw Shelby watching. And it was the look of pure torment that she saw that made Shelby ask the question.
"Tell me what you saw."
"What?" both Kait and Scott exclaimed.
"Tell me exactly what happened."
"No I can't." Kaitlyn said as she tried to get up. But Shelby grabbed her arm.
"You have to! It's killing you and you have to get it out so tell me!"
"Fine!" Kaitlyn shouted you want all the gory details. We were driving home and it was raining so hard that we couldn't see that well. But I wanted to get home cause when I got home I was supposed to get a present. So I rushed her. It was fall and there were leaves all over the highway. We hit a patch and slid in to the guardrail. I remember screaming and the force of the impact. Then nothing. I woke up on the pavement. I took me a minute to even remember the crash. My legs hurt and there was blood on my face. And couldn't see my mom. But I could hear her. She was still trapped in the car. I tried to walk but couldn't. I managed to slide myself over to her, but I couldn't pull her out. There was blood everywhere. So much blood mixing in with the rain. She was in so much pain. And she conscious throughout the whole thing. It was a deserted highway and due to the weather no one came for a while. So I sat there and I held her hand and listened to her scream in agony. I watched her bleed to death. I sat there holding her hand in that pool of blood and rain until the ambulance arrived. And even though she was dead. I could her screams." And with the confession completed. She collapsed.
Shelby and Scott both had tears running down their faces. Scott just picked her up and carried her to the bed. Daisy and David entered prepared to get them anything they needed. They saw Kaitlyn and Shelby explained what happened.
"She'll be out for hours. Don't think she's had much sleep recently." Scott said.
"No she hasn't." replied Shelby remembering the many nights she had found Kaitlyn awake.
Scott grabbed Kaitlyn's pajamas and began to remove her shirt.
"Hey what do you think your doing?" Shelby asked him.
"Putting on her pajamas. She sweated and cried through these clothes. I use to do this all the time."
"Not any more." Shelby said drawing the line. "Daisy and I will take care of it."
Scott shrugged but left the room, David following him. Shelby and Daisy peeled off Kaitlyn's shirt and as they saw her back they both gasped.
"Ohmigod…" Shelby exclaimed louder than she intended. Both boys heard and rushed back into the bedroom area. It was there they all saw the scars crisscrossing Kaitlyn's back.
"Was that from the accident?" Daisy asked Scott, who just shook his head no. "Then what are they from?" she wondered.
"A belt." David said in monotone. They all looked at him in disbelief. "Trust me I know what a mark inflicted by a belt looks like. Those are it. Within the last few months cause they haven't faded."
The four teens just looked at the sleeping girl pondering questions that couldn't be answered yet.
Previews: This isn't the end of Kaitlyn's problems in fact it's just the beginning. Coming up Daisy makes her choice as another Cliffhangers past is revealed. And another voice from Scott's past comes to light. This person can change everything.
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