AN: Thank you to Echo53 and Guest for reviewing, every review really goes inspire me to continue writing and uploading, so thank you so very much!
Read and review!
Song suggestion: Big girls don't cry, Fergie.
Chapter Two: Crashing Down.
I was right.
The rain poured down as we hurried back to the house. Rachel and Rebecca were squealing and promising that they would move to somewhere sunny when they were old enough. Jake, always being the complete opposite to his sisters, ran around getting soaked. Rolling my eyes, I kept pace with Billy, whose diabetes caused his limbs to be weak. Dad said Billy would eventually have to use a wheelchair. It was sad considering he was such an active person.
We reached the red house and the girls ran inside, having already got the keys from Billy. I stopped as Billy paused to rest by a tree. He smiled and waved off my concerned face. Jake joined us and we stood waiting for Billy to continue.
"Dad!" Rebecca yelled from the doorway, "Dad! It's the police!" Billy drew in a deep breath and went to get the phone. Jake and I shared a worried look before running to catch up.
"Hello?" Billy said as we skidded to a stop inside the warm house, "Speaking…pardon…yes…yes…of course…I'll be right there…bye." He placed the phone back in the receiver and leaned his head on the wall.
"Dad?" Jake stepped forward. Billy seemed to wake up then and pushed off the wall. His hand was back on the phone and dialling.
"Hi Sue, it's Billy…Not too well actually Sue, I need you to come and watch the kids…I'll tell you when you get here…thanks, bye." The phone was slammed into the receiver and Billy turned to us, "Right kids, I need you to be good for Sue, I have to go…to the hospital." He gulped and tears seemed to gather in his eyes.
"Dad?" Jake tried again but Billy waved him off.
"Go get showers before you catch your deaths." His gruff reply shocked us. Billy was always so kind and now…it shook us to the core. Something very seriously bad was happening. The girls scurried off to the bathroom and Jake moved away.
I went to the sofa with Jacob and we sat together, I took Jake's hand in comfort. He looked at me with sad eyes and I hugged him. Billy took his diabetes kit from the first aid box and went to his bedroom. Something was very, very wrong. My hand stroked Jake's hair and we both jumped when the phone went off again. Before either of us could twitch, Billy was back and at the phone.
"Bel-" Jake tried to speak to me but I shushed him quietly, wanting to know what was going on.
"Black residence…hi Mark…yeah, I've got Bella…sh-" Billy glanced at us before coughing once, "Yes, of course…we'll be there soon…right, bye." Billy rubbed an exhausted hand down his face and turned to me, "Bella, can you get your things together please, you're coming too."
"Okay." I grabbed my backpack and listened as a car drew up outside.
Billy answered it and Harry, Sue, Leah, and Seth walked in. Leah immediately went to the bedrooms, looking for the twins, while Seth joined us on the couch. Harry and Sue spoke to Billy in low, anxious voices. Sue hugged Billy before he motioned for me to join him at the door. I obeyed quickly and we went to get in the truck.
"Bella, I need you to be a big girl now." He stated as we got in the rusty Chevy, "For your dad."
"Dad?" I repeated, scared.
"There's been a car accident." A familiar occurrence. Tourists not knowing the roads and being careless and fast through blind corners. But why did it involve my dad? "Sarah's been…hurt and your dad too."
"Dad's hurt?" Tears gather in my eyes, "And Sarah?"
"Yes, we're going to them now." Nodding in acknowledgement, I turned to the window. Horrible images filled my mind of dad hurt. Broken bones. Brain damage. Coma. I didn't know what I'd do without him.
I barely remembered mom. Dad said she liked to travel. I interpreted it as flighty and irresponsible. Occasionally a postcard would arrive, but one hadn't come in a couple of years now. Dad had raised me with the help of his close friends; the Black family, the Clearwaters, and the Atearas. If he couldn't care for me, I wondered what would happen. Mom couldn't, a child needed stability. Would I be put into fostering? The thought frightened me. How could I be taken away from Forks and La Push, they were my home!
"Is dad going to be okay?" Turning to Billy, I noticed his stained hands gripping the steering wheel and tense posture.
"Don't worry Bella; everything's going to be fine." He reached over to pat my hand in reassurance.
"What about Sarah?" To this he swallowed hard and appeared to be consumed in driving. The speeding needle began to rise above the limit and I glanced at Billy worriedly.
"I'm sure everything will be fine." He repeated and I knew he was lying. Something was very bad. I wasn't religious but I found myself praying to any Deity listening to please help Sarah and dad. I couldn't live without my dad and Sarah meant so much to the La Push community. Everyone loved her. I couldn't imagine what it'd be like for Billy and his kids if she died. The thought alone made me sick to my stomach.
Finally, we drew up in the hospital car lot and Billy killed the engine. I watched him gather himself together and look at me. Trying to smile at him, he patted my hand again. In that moment, we shared our worries in the small gesture. Understood the stress of the situation and the toll on each other.
"Billy-" I reached out as his eyes appeared teary.
"It's going to be fine Bella, but I need you to do as you're told, alright?" He told me as he popped open the cab door, "Big girl now."
"Yes Billy." I nodded and he took my hand as we hurried to the hospital entrance.