Hey everyone, were near the end now. Just one more chapter and an epilogue. It's crazy to imagine I started this story in the beginning of the year, and now it's almost over. I start university the day after the last chapter will be posted so wish me luck.
I hope you enjoy this chapter, have a good day and stay safe.
There's a ringing in Bellamy's ears. Disbelief leaking in with every second that passes. There's no way that Echo could have done it; she just moved here a couple of months ago, and the accident was last year.
"Octavia, are you sure?" Kane asks her sternly, wanting to be certain of this before any action can be taken.
The girl just nods. "It was Bellamy's friend. I saw her through the car window before everything went black. That's the last thing I remember."
"Ok." He sighs. "I'm going to go chat with mama and Abby outside, ok? You stay here with Bell, Clarke and Hope. Call us if you need anything."
He quickly ushers them out into the hallway, barely sparing a glance at the trio surrounding the girl's bed.
"I think it's safe to say that her memories are returning." Abby begins as soon as the door is firmly shut. "But I don't like the fact that they seem to be accompanied by seizures. That could be very dangerous, especially if she's alone or in the middle of something."
"So what do we do now?" Diyoza looks at the doctor warily.
"She'll still have that scan tomorrow, but other than that, we'll have to play by ear." Abby says resigned, not liking that they don't have a clear plan of action. "And if her claims are true..."
"We'll have a court case in our hands. They're both minors so it will be a closed case, no publicity, and she likely won't be needed to testify. I won't allow it, obviously, on health issues if the seizures are anything to go by."
Diyoza can only nod at Kane's words. Just like that, they're about to descend into hell once again.
"Also, do you have any idea if she's had any similar occurrences? Like blanking or spacing out?" Abby asks, trying to create a mental library of the young girl's situation.
"None that I know of." Diyoza sighs. "But maybe Bellamy, Clarke or Hope may have seen something."
Abby nods. "I'll go ask them. In the meantime, how about you get some food from the cafeteria? It's been a long day and the kids have school tomorrow."
They oblige the doctor, taking the lift to get some dinner for their family.
~~The next day~~
"Bellamy said she had a similar episode a couple of months ago, the day they took her to the park for the first time after the accident." Abby begins to explain. "She saw where the accident had taken place and just froze."
"Why didn't they say anything?" Diyoza asks worriedly, her concern for her daughter overpowering the need to be angry at said girl's brother.
"They thought it was nothing." Abby shrugs. "Keep in mind, they're only kids. They wouldn't have known what to look out for, or if something was wrong unless she tells them."
Diyoza can only slump into her seat. "How did the scan go?"
"It went well. There's no swelling and her brain isn't bleeding, so those are good signs. We might keep her a day or two longer for observation, because as you've said, she's never had a seizure before, and she suddenly had two in a day."
The mother just listens attentively, nodding at the doctor's words.
"We may start her on some antiepileptic medications just to be on the safe side. And you might want her as well as Bellamy and Hope to undergo some basic seizure training, just so they'd know what to do if it were to happen again."
"Ok." Diyoza simply agrees, not sure what else to say in a conversation such as this.
"Echo." He grabs her hand, pulling her with him, as he leads them both to the alley behind the school.
"Bellamy. What's wrong-"
"I need you to tell me the truth." He cuts her off, anxious to know the answers to his questions. "Did you hit my sister with a car?"
"Bellamy. I... I..." She stutters, shock and fear flooding her like a tidal wave, leaving her gasping for breath, grasping for the right words to say when nothing you can say will make things right.
"Answer the damn question, Echo!" His patience was wearing thin. He had held off the entire school day and was near ready to explode.
"I don't know." She mumbles. "I may have hit someone with a car, but I don't know who it was or-"
"'Yes' or 'no'." He growls. "It's a 'yes' or 'no' question."
"Yes." She gulps.
He takes a deep breath, red hot rage coursing through his veins. His fists clench and unclench, the urge to punch something wild and violent, and the feel of familiar arms around his shoulders does little to ease the temptation.
"I'm sorry, Bell." Echo tries to apologise. "I didn't know she was your sister. It was an accident. I... I..."
"Leave, Echo." Clarke demands. "And don't even think of coming near us ever again."
"I love you, Bellamy-" Echo pleads.
"And I thought I loved you." His voice is sharp, cold. "But I can never love someone who hurt my sister." He huffs. "Leave! I never want to see you ever again, and don't you ever even think of going near my sister."
"Bellamy-"
"Go!" This time, both Clarke and Bellamy shout, neither sparing her so much as a glance as her boots scuff the grass beneath them.
They listen as her footsteps fade away before Bellamy's strength falters and he crumbles into her embrace.
"It was Echo." He mumbles, tears wetting her shirt as they sit on the grass. "It was all Echo's fault. My girlfriend almost killed my sister."
Clarke rubs his back, trying her best to console him while dampening her own anger. Octavia was like a little sister to her, and to know that her almost murderer walks the same hallways as them, nearly has her attacking said girl in revenge for all the pain she's caused their family.
As they hear the elementary school bell sound in the distance, they get up and brush themselves off. Kane will be coming to pick them and Hope up in a few minutes.
And when they're home, the truth will be revealed.
"Octavia told the truth." Bellamy says resigned - the anger having left him long ago - leaving him with numbness as they sit around the dining table, discussing the cause of this mess. "Echo admitted to it."
His dad nodded. "I visited her home while you kids were at school, and talked to her uncle and aunt about the accident."
"They said they had no clue about it." He sighs. "But they knew she had been drunk driving with her cousins in the back seat. The three claimed to have hit a low hanging tree branch which shattered the windshield-"
"Liars!" Bellamy shouts, jumping up from his seat. "They're all liars! How could they hurt someone and say that they just hit a tree branch?! They're heartless monsters."
Clarke gently urges him back into his seat. "Yes they are, Bell. But yelling right now isn't going to do any good. Let's leave this to Kane and the officers. They'll get justice for Octavia."
"I have a copy of the invoice from the windshield repair. It is dated to the day after the accident, which will help to place her at the accident." Kane slowly continues, making sure they understand what he is trying to say. "Then, we can get a warrant to arrest her."
"Seeing as she's already confessed to it, it should be an open-shut case. She will, however, be facing a few extra charges such as underage driving, driving without a license or adult supervision, underage drinking, and driving under influence, among others."
"Can we get a restraining order?" Bellamy adds in. "I never want her near O, again."
"Bellamy." He sighs. "That's not how restraining orders work-"
"No, dad! I don't care. I never want to see her, or even let her near O, ever again."
"I'll see what I can do." He nods. "For now, how about you kids do some homework, and I'll take you to see O as soon as I bring this evidence to the station and file some paperwork."
Bellamy acquiesces with his decision and leaves the table, getting his own school books and starting on his work.
~~A few weeks later~~
"Mama." Octavia calls out, running into the kitchen. "Can I go play upstairs?"
"Have you taken your medicines?" The woman asks her pointedly, her gaze flickering over to the small cup on the counter.
Begrudgingly, the girl pops the two pills into her mouth, swallowing it down with a gulp of water. "Done." She grimaces, looking to her mother for something sweet to counter the bitter taste.
"Here." Her mother feeds her a little spoonful of honey before ushering her away. "Take Helios with you."
"Ok!" She hears her holler from a distance before the soft scampering of paws fill the hallways.
Helios was their new Golden Retriever, a companion for Octavia whenever they were busy or she was alone.
With the court case looming, the adults were spending less and less time at home, their time occupied with talking to various lawyers; discussing what needs to be done, which charges to press, if they should claim some form of compensation...
Clarke and Bellamy, on the other hand, were freshmen, meaning they were swamped with schoolwork and new extracurriculars, leaving Hope alone to take care of Octavia.
There was no doubt she trusted Hope to take care of her little sister, especially since all the children had undergone basic first-aid training for seizures, but she felt safer if Octavia had another companion, for especially when Hope was busy and couldn't entertain her sister.
So they got Helios.
Helios was already 6 months old by the time they adopted him, but he was easily trained; soon adapting to their daily lives and learning commands.
He is of course still learning, but now, less than a month in, he's already house-trained, obeys almost every command, and sticks by Octavia, even keeping pace with her on the stairs, which is a huge relief for her.
Now, they're teaching him to watch out for her, nudging her when it's near time for her medicines, and letting him sleep by her so he can alert them if she begins to seize in her sleep.
So far she's only had one other episode about a week after she was released from the hospital.
They were just driving home from the mall, her happily talking about the new doll they got her, when she suddenly grew quiet. It wasn't even a moment later that she began to seize in her car seat.
Immediately, they pulled up to the shoulder of the road as Hope and Bellamy got her out of her seat and onto the floor. It was shorter than her previous seizures, barely a minute long, and thankfully she woke up a few minutes later, but it had been quite an experience, even with Abby in the car right behind them.
After that, they were a little more careful when they went out, continually watching her for signs that she may begin seizing at any moment.
Right now though, it's as calm as can be. And she can only hope it'll stay that way.
~~A few days later~~
"Daddy's home!" Octavia shouts, running up to him for a hug. "Hi daddy."
The man obliges, easily picking her up and swinging her around. "Hi my little butterfly. How was school today?"
"It was great. I learned about synonyms and antonyms, and I was the first to finish the crossword puzzle..." Octavia continues talking about her day as he carries her over to the kitchen where her mama resides, preparing dinner.
"Sounds like you had a lot of fun, O." He ruffles her hair. "Why don't you go get the others and take Helios for a pre-dinner walk?"
"Ok." She cheers as he sets her down, watching her rush off with the dog by her side.
"How was the trial?" She asks, putting down the carrot for a moment.
"Good." Kane sighs, running his hand through his thick hair. "She plead guilty to all charges, so they'll probably give the verdict tomorrow; likely juvie till eighteen then a retrial. As for compensation and the like, I'm not sure."
"I don't care about the money, Kane." She tells him sternly. "I just want justice for my baby. I want the person who did this to her locked up behind bars so they can't hurt her ever again. I want to know that she is living in a safe environment, in a happy home, with people who will love her and protect her. That's all I want."
"I know. I know." He nods.
"At least with that girl behind bars, there's one less underage drunk driver on the road." Diyoza huffs, resuming her cutting. "Dumb home-wrecker."
"Hey Clarke. Hey Blake. Hey baby Blake and girl I don't know." A Latina jogs up to the group, waving at them, before crouching down to catch her breath.
"Hey Raven." Clarke greets. "This is Hope and Octavia." She introduces the pair.
"Hi Raven." The two girls chirp as Octavia tugs on the leash to prevent him from sniffing Raven.
"It's fine, baby Blake." Raven beckons the dog forward. "I love these little mutts."
"Why do you call me baby Blake?" Octavia asks as the dog surges forward, sitting in front of Raven as he sniffs her hand. "My name's Octavia Diyoza. Not Octavia Blake."
The girl seems to think it over for a while. "Hey Bell? Why don't Hope and I have the same last name as you if we share the same mama and daddy?"
Bellamy visibly gulps as Raven gives him an apologetic glance. She hadn't meant to cause them any trouble and she knew more or less about the whole Kane-Blake-Diyoza family situation.
"Umm..." Bellamy starts, trying to find the right words to say. "Well, before we were born, mom and dad decided that if they had a son, they'd follow dad's last name, and if they had a daughter, they'd follow mom's last name."
"They wanted to be different." He tries to explain. "They thought it would be unfair if only one of their names were used so that's what they decided."
"Oh." Octavia gasps. "Cool."
"Hey baby Blake." Raven cuts in, trying to stop her from thinking so much into their different last names. "Clarke and Blake told me that you've been having some seizures. How are you feeling about them?"
"It's ok, I guess." She shrugs. "I get really sore and tired after, like I just ran a mar... marth... mara..."
"Marathon?" The girl nods. "Yeah, I felt like that too when I was younger. I used to have seizures all the time, but I got better. So I know you will too."
Octavia smiles, happy to know someone who understands her and how she feels. "Thanks Raven."
"And hey, if ever Clarke or Blake get too old and boring, I live just a few houses down and wouldn't mind a little company." Raven grins at the little girl, giving her a hug of encouragement before continuing on her run, and leaving the family to walk the dog.
"C'mon Helios, let's go."
~~The next day~~
Hope stands alone in the kitchen, washing the dishes as her mother and Octavia watch a movie in the living room.
She misses when it was just the three of them, when they'd do everything together; they'd take care of the dishes, her mother washing while Octavia dried and she'd put them away. Now, it was as if Octavia wasn't even allowed to lift a finger.
Everyone was walking on eggshells around her, always making sure that she was ok, that she'd taken her medicine, that she was never alone. They'd even gotten her a dog to keep her company when she'd been asking for one since she was five.
She knows it's not right for her to be jealous, that they're all cautious with Octavia because of everything that's happened, but sometimes she wishes that it was her instead.
She knows it's selfish, that she shouldn't think that way, that she should in fact be grateful that her little sister was still alive, but it's kind of hard to when suddenly their lives revolve all around her. Even when they bumped into Clarke and Bellamy's friend the other day, she had barely even acknowledged her but was talking with Octavia like they were best friends.
Part of her wishes they had never moved, and a smaller, darker, meaner part wishes they had never found her. Her mother was hers, and hers alone, but why does it seem like she cares more about Octavia than she does her own daughter? Why does she spend more time with her? Why did she have to share her?
A hand taps her on the shoulder, causing her to narrowly drop a plate, and she turns around, finding herself face-to-face with Kane.
"Need some help?"
She sits on the countertop as he hands her the clean plates to dry, the two of them working in silence and simply enjoying the monotony of daily chores.
It is only when the dishes are all done that he invites her into his study.
"What's wrong?" Two words from a man she hardly knows, and yet seems to know her better than her own mother.
Maybe that's why she begins to break down. Maybe that's why she tells him what's been going on in her mind. Maybe that's why she finally finds herself in his arms, feeling the comfort of a father she's been deprived of for her almost 10 years of life.
"I can't tell you that everything will be ok." He gently rubs her back as her cries soften into hiccups. "But I can tell you that I'm here if ever you need me, even if it's just to vent or yell or anything. You don't have to be afraid to come to me. You don't have to be afraid to ask for anything."
"I know this past year has been hard on you. No one is expecting you to be strong or to be ok with everything. It's ok to feel upset or left out. It's never wrong to feel what you feel. I know that with everything that's happened to Octavia, all of our focus is always on her and it sometimes seems like we've pushed you aside. You're still a little girl, too. I'm sorry that we don't always see that." He speaks gently and slowly, lifting her chin up so they're eye to eye.
"But I can promise you that I'll try harder to see it, to make sure you don't feel left out or unloved anymore. I promise to love you even if you're not my biological daughter, or Bellamy's little sister. You deserve to be loved Hope. You belong to this family. You are part of this family."
"And I will always be here for you whenever you need me."
"Thanks dad." She holds onto him tightly, enjoying the feel of being in his embrace. For the first time in a long time she feels seen, feels loved, and she hopes this means things will start to take a turn for the better.
And this has been an AngelFanfics productions.