Comfort Me - Chapter Four
They had a small party between calls for Hank and his return. Twenty calls later
they got off and headed to Tyler's to finish the party. Val invited Caitie,
who was questioning going to TYLER'S house, but found out Jamie was there
and was over in 3 minutes. They all decide to watch movies, with Tyler's mom
and William still out of town. Two movies later found Val sleeping on Tyler on
one couch and Jamie and Caitie on the other half sleeping and Hank on the
chair. After that movie Hank and Jamie called there parents and said that
they were staying at Tyler's. Caitie said she was staying there with Val.
They third movie was Gone IN 30 seconds. Half way though the movie Val woke
up and said, "I'm going to go out and sit on the porch."
Tyler said, "Do you want anyone to come with you?"
"No that's ok."
So she went out and sat and was thinking. The others ending up falling
asleep. Val seen these two people walking with two girls, on her age and the
other around Brooke's, which made her think of them. She over heard bits of
there conversation, them being all happy and all. She started sobing and
Tyler heard her and ran out there and was, "What's going on?"
Val wiped her tears away, "I don't know yet." She whispered and walked back into the house. Tyler decided to stay out there and let her work this one out by herself.
She walked into the living room and glanced over and Jamie and Caitie, Hank was sleeping like a baby and Jamie had his arm around Caitie. She noticed the fourth movie was on, Bring It On. Val laughed at how Caitie said it reminded her of Val. Jamie's head rose from sleep and he looked at Val. "Are you alright... seriously?" He whispered.
His voice startled her, but then she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine," and walked upstairs.
Caitie heard the noise and woke, "Jamie?"
"Yeah?"
"Just making sure it was you." She replied and buried her face in his chest, but then her head slowly came up, "You remember when Brianne was in the hospital?"
"Yeah," He whispered, her hair blocked his reply a bit.
"That's how I feel now. I feel like a failed at helping Val like I did with Brianne." She whispered, her voice sort of cracky. "I feel like... I can't help her, when I could all my life, except now."
"Come here..." He replied, she moved closer. "Your not a failure, you're wonderful. It's not your fault." Caitie looked at the T.V. "Looks like Val." Jamie said, trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah, I know." She let out with a laugh, "I tell her that all the time."
Jamie laughed and let Caitie lean on him even more. Hank's one eye popped open and he smiled when he saw Jamie kiss Caitie's forehead, "You too.." He sighed and shook his head, "are gross."
Caitie rolled her eyes and looked up and Jamie, and she giggled.
****
Tyler walked into the room with his hands in his pockets and starred at The three teens on the couch starring at the T.V. "I'm sexy, I'm cute... I'm popular taboot." Was coming from the television.
"Hey, anyone know where Val is." Tyler asked. They didn't move there eyes from the T.V. and just pointed up the steps. His eyebrows came together and and said, "Thanks..."
He walked up the steps and turned into the room, he saw Val sitting on the side of the bed, holding something in her hands, playing with it.
"Hey..." He said quietly.
DOWNSTAIRS
Caitie and Jamie were cuddling and talking, "Jamie, look I just feel like I
should be able to help her somehow."
"Caitie, if she wont open up to anyone, than there's nothing you can do
about it, you can try and talk to her, but it's not your fault if you can't
talk to her, I'm sure tyler will be able too."
"Yeah I guess you're right."
"Yeah of couse I am."
Hank, "Guys shut up, I'm going to puke soon."
Just than caitie and Jamie got up and started to chase Hank around down
stairs.
MEANWHILE UPSTAIRS
Val shifted her weight and looked at him with her eyes puffy. "I feel so alone..."
"Why? No.. I'm here. Don't." He said from across the room.
"I know... but's it's different. I feel alone without family." She said. She stood up and hugged him. He knew he had to do something, she just wasn't healing from this. He thought being with him and not going to any funerals was making her worse.
"Val, you can't hide from this any longer." He said, not hugging her back.
She looked at him, "What..? Just come here." She whispered.
"No, Val. See, your doing it again. You have to face the truth and it will feel so much better. Think about all of the memories. Brooke, and your parents are still with you... you just need to find it in your heart to realize that."
"You don't think that I hadn't realized they're gone?!?" She yelled, making herself worse. "Tyler, every minute, every second of my day I spend thinking about them... it hurts so much though. Here, you're telling me to think about them MORE?!?!" She picked the necklace back up and threw it at him. "You don't care about me..." and walked out of the room, passed the 'making out' Jamie and Caitie. Tyler ran out of the room and passed Jamie, Caitie and Hank.
"Val, wait! You don't understand! You've got it all wrong. That's not what I meant." Tyler yelled.
"Shh! We're watching Val on T.V here!" Caitie laughed, not knowing what was going on. 'Brr.. it's cold in here, I said there must be some Toros in the atmostphere...' came from the T.V
Tyler went out by Val on the porch again and sat next to her, and put his arm around her. She took it off and got up and went inside, "Val wait, whats wrong?"
Soon enough, it was Tyler running through the house after Val, "Val, I'm sorry..." He had to do something to make her stop, he turned her around and pinned her to the wall, "Listen to me..." He whispered, he wasn't holding her hands hard against the wall. He had to get her to listen, though. She looked at the ground.
"I love you... and you know that, so you can stay here for as long as you need me, but you need to listen to me, you need to realize that they're gone... and there's nothing I or you can do to change that... just, go on. This takes a while to get over but it's been a week, and there not all the way gone... I mean, they are... but... you know what I mean." He loosened his grip on her arms and there was white spots where his hands were. With that... he walked out of the room, leaving a thinking Val to lower herself into then corner. Caitie's head rose from Jamie's shoulder and she looked over at Val.
"See what I mean, I can't help her." She whispered into Jamie's ear.
"Yeah... I'll be right back." He whispered back. He stood up and walked over to Val leaving Caitie, with a sleeping Hank.
Jaime slid his body down the side of the wall and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You know, Val. Tyler's right."
"I know... I know he's right." She let out. "I've tried to accept the fact, but it's just to hard."
Jamie didn't know what else to say except, "I'm sorry, Val. But, Tyler was just helping you." Then he sighed, "Me and Caitie heard everything down here, you were pretty hard on him. He does care... that's why he told you all of that."
"Thanks, Jamie." She gave him a hug and walked up the steps to apologize.
Val found Tyler upstairs in his room, lying on his bed. She knocked on his door and he looked up at her and said, "What do you want? To yell at me more, but you know I was right and...."
She cut him off, "Yeah I know, I'm sorry, it's just really hard to...."
"Val, it will be okay, come here."
She went over by Tyler and he wraped his arms around her and she just layed there. A couple of minutes later she got up and sat down, he sat down next to her and than finally handed her a small box. She looked at it for a couple of minutes and then opened it. It was the necklace that he had given her for her birthday, "See Val, I told you, you would want it again."
"Thanks Tyler."
Val got up and said she was going to try and get some sleep. She went into her room and got changed. She fell asleep and so did Tyler."
DOWNSTAIRS
"Jamie, what did you say to her?"
"Just that Tyler was right, and he really does care about her, blah blah blah."
"Why did she listen to you and not me?"
"I don't know, I just don't know."
Hank was already sleeping and finally Caitie and Jamie fell asleep too. Two hours later everyone woke up to Val screaming.
Tyler heard it first, then Hank, Caitie then Jamie. Tyler ran into Val's room and switched on the light, no less then 5 seconds later, Caitie and Jamie were running up the stairs, on the way up, Caitie tripped over her flare legged pants, sending Jamie down two steps and her landing on top of him, "Oh my gosh, are you alright?!" Caitie asked, worried. Jamie shook his head, as if shaking thoughts out and simply answered yes and continued up the stairs.
Hank was already up there. "Whoa, what's wrong?" He asked. Tyler and calming her down, the room was silent, besides for a little cry every now and then from Val, Jamie sat on the chair next to Val's bed, and Caitie sat on his knee.
"It was a nightmare..." Val said, breaking the silence, "Tyler... you died in a car accident... and Hank, you were paralized for life, Caitie and Jamie... you were in a plane crash." Jamie looked at Caitie and saw a tear forming in her eye. "I thought it was for real when I woke up, it was like I was watching everyone..."
"It was just a dream." Hank whispered.
"I know... but it was so real." She said, shaking her head. "... and then, before I woke up, I was falling in the air, there was no end... just kept on falling..."
"It's alright... want me to sleep in here?" Tyler asked, "I'll sleep on the chair." Val nodded.
"Hank... you can take my room, if you want." Tyler said.
"Thanks, man." He said, and flashed a smile at Val as if saying, 'Your boyfriends cool.'
"Guess we sleep on the couch." Jamie joked.
"You can sleep in mom and Williams room if you'd like." Tyler said, feeling a little bad.
"I was joking." Jamie said.
"Yeah, we'll be fine." Caitie said.
"Alright, thanks guys, I'm really sorry about waking you up." Val said, feeling pretty guilty, and they could hear it in her voice.
Jamie left the room with Caitie behind him. "Try not to fall this time." He whispered in her ear. "Why don't we just do this so you don't make me fall again." He slid an arm around her thighs and put the other one around her knees and flipped her over his shoulder.
"Put me down, Jamie!" She kicked and screamed, but she had to laugh.
"No, Cait, sorry, you'll trip me again," He joked, they both knew that she wouldn't trip him again, and that he was just being flirtatious.
He walked down the steps and when they got to the couch he threw her on it, she had an angry look on her face, but it looked fake. He made puppy dog eyes and she rolled her eyes. "How come I can't stay mad at you?"
"It's a gift." He laughed and shrugged.
They layed back down on the couch the way there were, Jamie had his arm
around Caitie and her snuggling into him. (ewww gross lol) Hank fall asleep
up in Tyler's huge room. Val finally fallen back asleep and Tyler was
sitting in the chair and fell asleep. Ten minutes later Val woke up
screaming again and this time Caitie and Jamie didn't bother to go up there
cause they knew Tyler could handle it and Hank sleep right though it.
Tyler woke up and ran over to her and she was crying again, "Val, what was
it about this time?"
He went up by her on the bed and put his arm around her and she put her head
in his chest. She finally sat up and started talking, "Brooke shooting her
self, me being in the car with them and watching them die, Caitie and Jamie
leaving for good, you killing your self, and Hank dieing in another car
crash. When I fell back to sleep, the dream continued...."
Before Tyler could say anything, Caitie and Jamie decided to go up after all
and heard it all and Jamie said, "Look Val, nothing is going to happen to
us, and I'm sorry but I really think you should talk to someone about this."
Val looked up, "Okay..."
"Jamie, that's a good idea."
***
The next morning Tyler pulled out a phone book and looked up a doctor, "Dr. Jullio." He was about to dial the number when Jamie walked past, "Hey, can you and Caitie stay a little longer?"
"Yeah, sure. Why?" He asked, taking a bit out of an apple.
"Well, I want you to come with me to take Val to the doctors today. I think she would feel i little more comfortable if you and Caitie we there.
Jamie sat down and heard the whole conversation about Val to the doctor. "He'll take her in a half an hour."
Caitie walked down the steps all dressed, "Hey, can you stay for a little longer?" Tyler asked her.
"Yeah, sure. Let me just call the good ol' PARENTOLS." She said sarcastically and Tyler handed the phone to her.
She dialed the number and held the phone to her ear, "Hey, Mom... I won't be home for a little bit, Me and Jamie are going to... the fair." She search for the word. "Bye."
"Why amd I stayin anyways?" Caitie froze, waiting for an answer.
"Cause I think all of us should go with Val to the doctors."
"Oh ok, sure let's go."
They all get in the car and since Val was the smallest she had to sit in
the back between Jamie and Hank. Tyler drove and Caitie sat in the front. It
took a bit to get Val in the car but once they did, they were off. On the
way there Val was leaning up talking to Caitie and Tyler turned back to tell
Val to turn around and he hit a pole. Caitie didn't have her set belt on and
went flying out of the front window. Tyler got some cuts and bruises on him.
Jamie and Val started yelling and screaming and they and Hank got cuts from
the glass that broke in the back from when the car jolted. Val and Jamie got
out of the car and ran to Caitie. Tyler followed them and saw Val.
Val was crying uncontralably, "It's happening again, now Caitie is dying,
who is next?"
They had a small party between calls for Hank and his return. Twenty calls later
they got off and headed to Tyler's to finish the party. Val invited Caitie,
who was questioning going to TYLER'S house, but found out Jamie was there
and was over in 3 minutes. They all decide to watch movies, with Tyler's mom
and William still out of town. Two movies later found Val sleeping on Tyler on
one couch and Jamie and Caitie on the other half sleeping and Hank on the
chair. After that movie Hank and Jamie called there parents and said that
they were staying at Tyler's. Caitie said she was staying there with Val.
They third movie was Gone IN 30 seconds. Half way though the movie Val woke
up and said, "I'm going to go out and sit on the porch."
Tyler said, "Do you want anyone to come with you?"
"No that's ok."
So she went out and sat and was thinking. The others ending up falling
asleep. Val seen these two people walking with two girls, on her age and the
other around Brooke's, which made her think of them. She over heard bits of
there conversation, them being all happy and all. She started sobing and
Tyler heard her and ran out there and was, "What's going on?"
Val wiped her tears away, "I don't know yet." She whispered and walked back into the house. Tyler decided to stay out there and let her work this one out by herself.
She walked into the living room and glanced over and Jamie and Caitie, Hank was sleeping like a baby and Jamie had his arm around Caitie. She noticed the fourth movie was on, Bring It On. Val laughed at how Caitie said it reminded her of Val. Jamie's head rose from sleep and he looked at Val. "Are you alright... seriously?" He whispered.
His voice startled her, but then she replied, "Yeah, I'm fine," and walked upstairs.
Caitie heard the noise and woke, "Jamie?"
"Yeah?"
"Just making sure it was you." She replied and buried her face in his chest, but then her head slowly came up, "You remember when Brianne was in the hospital?"
"Yeah," He whispered, her hair blocked his reply a bit.
"That's how I feel now. I feel like a failed at helping Val like I did with Brianne." She whispered, her voice sort of cracky. "I feel like... I can't help her, when I could all my life, except now."
"Come here..." He replied, she moved closer. "Your not a failure, you're wonderful. It's not your fault." Caitie looked at the T.V. "Looks like Val." Jamie said, trying to cheer her up.
"Yeah, I know." She let out with a laugh, "I tell her that all the time."
Jamie laughed and let Caitie lean on him even more. Hank's one eye popped open and he smiled when he saw Jamie kiss Caitie's forehead, "You too.." He sighed and shook his head, "are gross."
Caitie rolled her eyes and looked up and Jamie, and she giggled.
****
Tyler walked into the room with his hands in his pockets and starred at The three teens on the couch starring at the T.V. "I'm sexy, I'm cute... I'm popular taboot." Was coming from the television.
"Hey, anyone know where Val is." Tyler asked. They didn't move there eyes from the T.V. and just pointed up the steps. His eyebrows came together and and said, "Thanks..."
He walked up the steps and turned into the room, he saw Val sitting on the side of the bed, holding something in her hands, playing with it.
"Hey..." He said quietly.
DOWNSTAIRS
Caitie and Jamie were cuddling and talking, "Jamie, look I just feel like I
should be able to help her somehow."
"Caitie, if she wont open up to anyone, than there's nothing you can do
about it, you can try and talk to her, but it's not your fault if you can't
talk to her, I'm sure tyler will be able too."
"Yeah I guess you're right."
"Yeah of couse I am."
Hank, "Guys shut up, I'm going to puke soon."
Just than caitie and Jamie got up and started to chase Hank around down
stairs.
MEANWHILE UPSTAIRS
Val shifted her weight and looked at him with her eyes puffy. "I feel so alone..."
"Why? No.. I'm here. Don't." He said from across the room.
"I know... but's it's different. I feel alone without family." She said. She stood up and hugged him. He knew he had to do something, she just wasn't healing from this. He thought being with him and not going to any funerals was making her worse.
"Val, you can't hide from this any longer." He said, not hugging her back.
She looked at him, "What..? Just come here." She whispered.
"No, Val. See, your doing it again. You have to face the truth and it will feel so much better. Think about all of the memories. Brooke, and your parents are still with you... you just need to find it in your heart to realize that."
"You don't think that I hadn't realized they're gone?!?" She yelled, making herself worse. "Tyler, every minute, every second of my day I spend thinking about them... it hurts so much though. Here, you're telling me to think about them MORE?!?!" She picked the necklace back up and threw it at him. "You don't care about me..." and walked out of the room, passed the 'making out' Jamie and Caitie. Tyler ran out of the room and passed Jamie, Caitie and Hank.
"Val, wait! You don't understand! You've got it all wrong. That's not what I meant." Tyler yelled.
"Shh! We're watching Val on T.V here!" Caitie laughed, not knowing what was going on. 'Brr.. it's cold in here, I said there must be some Toros in the atmostphere...' came from the T.V
Tyler went out by Val on the porch again and sat next to her, and put his arm around her. She took it off and got up and went inside, "Val wait, whats wrong?"
Soon enough, it was Tyler running through the house after Val, "Val, I'm sorry..." He had to do something to make her stop, he turned her around and pinned her to the wall, "Listen to me..." He whispered, he wasn't holding her hands hard against the wall. He had to get her to listen, though. She looked at the ground.
"I love you... and you know that, so you can stay here for as long as you need me, but you need to listen to me, you need to realize that they're gone... and there's nothing I or you can do to change that... just, go on. This takes a while to get over but it's been a week, and there not all the way gone... I mean, they are... but... you know what I mean." He loosened his grip on her arms and there was white spots where his hands were. With that... he walked out of the room, leaving a thinking Val to lower herself into then corner. Caitie's head rose from Jamie's shoulder and she looked over at Val.
"See what I mean, I can't help her." She whispered into Jamie's ear.
"Yeah... I'll be right back." He whispered back. He stood up and walked over to Val leaving Caitie, with a sleeping Hank.
Jaime slid his body down the side of the wall and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "You know, Val. Tyler's right."
"I know... I know he's right." She let out. "I've tried to accept the fact, but it's just to hard."
Jamie didn't know what else to say except, "I'm sorry, Val. But, Tyler was just helping you." Then he sighed, "Me and Caitie heard everything down here, you were pretty hard on him. He does care... that's why he told you all of that."
"Thanks, Jamie." She gave him a hug and walked up the steps to apologize.
Val found Tyler upstairs in his room, lying on his bed. She knocked on his door and he looked up at her and said, "What do you want? To yell at me more, but you know I was right and...."
She cut him off, "Yeah I know, I'm sorry, it's just really hard to...."
"Val, it will be okay, come here."
She went over by Tyler and he wraped his arms around her and she just layed there. A couple of minutes later she got up and sat down, he sat down next to her and than finally handed her a small box. She looked at it for a couple of minutes and then opened it. It was the necklace that he had given her for her birthday, "See Val, I told you, you would want it again."
"Thanks Tyler."
Val got up and said she was going to try and get some sleep. She went into her room and got changed. She fell asleep and so did Tyler."
DOWNSTAIRS
"Jamie, what did you say to her?"
"Just that Tyler was right, and he really does care about her, blah blah blah."
"Why did she listen to you and not me?"
"I don't know, I just don't know."
Hank was already sleeping and finally Caitie and Jamie fell asleep too. Two hours later everyone woke up to Val screaming.
Tyler heard it first, then Hank, Caitie then Jamie. Tyler ran into Val's room and switched on the light, no less then 5 seconds later, Caitie and Jamie were running up the stairs, on the way up, Caitie tripped over her flare legged pants, sending Jamie down two steps and her landing on top of him, "Oh my gosh, are you alright?!" Caitie asked, worried. Jamie shook his head, as if shaking thoughts out and simply answered yes and continued up the stairs.
Hank was already up there. "Whoa, what's wrong?" He asked. Tyler and calming her down, the room was silent, besides for a little cry every now and then from Val, Jamie sat on the chair next to Val's bed, and Caitie sat on his knee.
"It was a nightmare..." Val said, breaking the silence, "Tyler... you died in a car accident... and Hank, you were paralized for life, Caitie and Jamie... you were in a plane crash." Jamie looked at Caitie and saw a tear forming in her eye. "I thought it was for real when I woke up, it was like I was watching everyone..."
"It was just a dream." Hank whispered.
"I know... but it was so real." She said, shaking her head. "... and then, before I woke up, I was falling in the air, there was no end... just kept on falling..."
"It's alright... want me to sleep in here?" Tyler asked, "I'll sleep on the chair." Val nodded.
"Hank... you can take my room, if you want." Tyler said.
"Thanks, man." He said, and flashed a smile at Val as if saying, 'Your boyfriends cool.'
"Guess we sleep on the couch." Jamie joked.
"You can sleep in mom and Williams room if you'd like." Tyler said, feeling a little bad.
"I was joking." Jamie said.
"Yeah, we'll be fine." Caitie said.
"Alright, thanks guys, I'm really sorry about waking you up." Val said, feeling pretty guilty, and they could hear it in her voice.
Jamie left the room with Caitie behind him. "Try not to fall this time." He whispered in her ear. "Why don't we just do this so you don't make me fall again." He slid an arm around her thighs and put the other one around her knees and flipped her over his shoulder.
"Put me down, Jamie!" She kicked and screamed, but she had to laugh.
"No, Cait, sorry, you'll trip me again," He joked, they both knew that she wouldn't trip him again, and that he was just being flirtatious.
He walked down the steps and when they got to the couch he threw her on it, she had an angry look on her face, but it looked fake. He made puppy dog eyes and she rolled her eyes. "How come I can't stay mad at you?"
"It's a gift." He laughed and shrugged.
They layed back down on the couch the way there were, Jamie had his arm
around Caitie and her snuggling into him. (ewww gross lol) Hank fall asleep
up in Tyler's huge room. Val finally fallen back asleep and Tyler was
sitting in the chair and fell asleep. Ten minutes later Val woke up
screaming again and this time Caitie and Jamie didn't bother to go up there
cause they knew Tyler could handle it and Hank sleep right though it.
Tyler woke up and ran over to her and she was crying again, "Val, what was
it about this time?"
He went up by her on the bed and put his arm around her and she put her head
in his chest. She finally sat up and started talking, "Brooke shooting her
self, me being in the car with them and watching them die, Caitie and Jamie
leaving for good, you killing your self, and Hank dieing in another car
crash. When I fell back to sleep, the dream continued...."
Before Tyler could say anything, Caitie and Jamie decided to go up after all
and heard it all and Jamie said, "Look Val, nothing is going to happen to
us, and I'm sorry but I really think you should talk to someone about this."
Val looked up, "Okay..."
"Jamie, that's a good idea."
***
The next morning Tyler pulled out a phone book and looked up a doctor, "Dr. Jullio." He was about to dial the number when Jamie walked past, "Hey, can you and Caitie stay a little longer?"
"Yeah, sure. Why?" He asked, taking a bit out of an apple.
"Well, I want you to come with me to take Val to the doctors today. I think she would feel i little more comfortable if you and Caitie we there.
Jamie sat down and heard the whole conversation about Val to the doctor. "He'll take her in a half an hour."
Caitie walked down the steps all dressed, "Hey, can you stay for a little longer?" Tyler asked her.
"Yeah, sure. Let me just call the good ol' PARENTOLS." She said sarcastically and Tyler handed the phone to her.
She dialed the number and held the phone to her ear, "Hey, Mom... I won't be home for a little bit, Me and Jamie are going to... the fair." She search for the word. "Bye."
"Why amd I stayin anyways?" Caitie froze, waiting for an answer.
"Cause I think all of us should go with Val to the doctors."
"Oh ok, sure let's go."
They all get in the car and since Val was the smallest she had to sit in
the back between Jamie and Hank. Tyler drove and Caitie sat in the front. It
took a bit to get Val in the car but once they did, they were off. On the
way there Val was leaning up talking to Caitie and Tyler turned back to tell
Val to turn around and he hit a pole. Caitie didn't have her set belt on and
went flying out of the front window. Tyler got some cuts and bruises on him.
Jamie and Val started yelling and screaming and they and Hank got cuts from
the glass that broke in the back from when the car jolted. Val and Jamie got
out of the car and ran to Caitie. Tyler followed them and saw Val.
Val was crying uncontralably, "It's happening again, now Caitie is dying,
who is next?"