A/N: For those that previously read chapter 1 before this update, please go back and re-read it as I changed it up quite a bit. Enjoy!
Bayley had stayed in the room with Sasha, refusing to leave her friend for even a second. Becky and Charlotte had headed back downstairs, intent on finding something for their upset friend to eat. The lack of food wrappings or dishes or any sign of a meal anywhere in the house worried all three women even more. Had Sasha really not eaten anything in a week? How could they have let it get this bad and not realized what was going on sooner?
"Come on Sasha, you gotta talk to me sometime, love. I'm right here. It's just me right now. You can talk to me. You can tell me anything…" whispered Bayley, wondering if Sasha was even hearing her or if she had fallen asleep underneath the blanket. It had been about an hour since the three had arrived at the house. Sasha had been crying under the blanket; quiet, barely audible, sniffles and whimpers escaping her lips, but it had been a good while since Bayley had heard anything coming from underneath the blanket.
Bayley gently peeled back the blanket slowly, carefully; not wanting to startle or scare Sasha in any way. Sasha made another noise as Bayley uncovered her face, Bayley moving to stop her hands before she could pull at the blanket once more.
"Shh, I'm right here. I'm here. You don't have to hide, honey. It's just me," whispered Bayley, gently stroking her friend's knuckles, frowning when she noticed bruising on her right hand.
"How did you get hurt?" asked Bayley quietly, crawling over to the other side of the bed, keeping Sasha's hands in her own.
Sasha lowered her head, trying to turn away, but Bayley refused to let her. Her gaze was filled with concern and sadness, genuine sadness, as she saw the shape Sasha was in.
It only made her want to cry more.
Bayley shifted herself even closer to Sasha, wishing she could just absorb whatever was inside of her heartbroken friend, wishing for anything that would take this pain away from the one person she loved more than anything else.
Sasha made a low moaning noise again, squeezing her eyes shut as Bayley refused to let her escape. Her body tightened up as she felt her friend's finger graze her hairline, her lips placing the most gentle, loving, caring, kiss to her forehead.
And that was all it took for Sasha to break down into tears; harsh, painful, all encompassing sobs escaping her lips, overpowering her lungs, leaving Sasha gasping for air in between each painful sob.
"Hey, Hey, Hey….slow down….breathe, baby," commanded Bayley softly, taking slow, deep breaths herself, placing her hand on Sasha's back, gently rubbing her hand up and down in a soothing motion.
Sasha shook her head, choking as she struggled to get air into her lungs, her brown eyes wild and unfocused.
"Sasha, you're okay. It's okay. It's a panic attack, honey. Just breathe in through your nose, no, no, no, big breath through your nose," whispered Bayley, doing it herself, hoping the closeness of their bodies would force Sasha to mimic what she was doing.
"Good girl. Good, you're almost there. Keep trying, just like that," whispered Bayley, keeping her own breathing in tact, trying to remain calm as Sasha worked on her breathing.
"There you go. Good girl. You got it," whispered Bayley, moving one hand from Sasha's back to her cheek, cupping her face in her hands.
Tears were still streaming down Sasha's face, touching the palm of Bayley's hand, more of them pooling in her brown eyes.
"I'm here, Sash. I'm right here. And Becca and Charlotte are just downstairs, okay? You're not alone. You don't have to do this alone, baby girl…." whispered Bayley, wiping at a teardrop that slipped from Sasha's eye.
Sasha ducked her head, pushing Bayley's hands away from her, turning again in the opposite direction of her friend.
Bayley let out a heavy sigh, wanting to cry herself as she heard the heartbroken sobs escaping her friends lips, the way her shoulders shook with each sorrowful cry. She knew Sasha could be stubborn. She knew she had a hard time trusting people.
But she had never been that way with Bayley, or Charlotte or Becky even, for that matter.
Then again, Bayley had never seen her fall into this deep of a depression before either….
"Is she asleep?"
Bayley sighed, glancing at Sasha, her eyes closed, her breathing evened out, her hand curled up under her pillow. Bayley would say she looked content if it wasn't for the tears that were still steadily falling from her eyes, even in her sleep.
"I think so," she muttered, using her thumb to wipe away a trail of tears, closing her eyes when Sasha flinched at her touch.
Bayley placed a kiss to her hair, gently easing herself off the bed and heading towards the door, stepping out to join Becky and Charlotte.
"When was the last time you saw her? What happened?" asked Charlotte, Bayley shrugging lightly, unable to let her eyes wander away from Sasha.
"Last Monday. She was there, at the arena…." muttered Bayley, closing her eyes as she tried to piece together the memories of that night.
"Do you know what happened?" asked Becky, Bayley shaking her head.
"Not really. I know that she was upset, about Mania and the titles, but it wasn't like what all those stupid dirt sheets are saying. She was upset, but she wasn't throwing a tantrum or complaining about it. She just wanted more for those titles. We both did. Peyton and Billie are amazing competitors, but it's gonna be a struggle for them to get people behind them…."
"Weren't you guys supposed to have a match together against Alexa that night?" asked Charlotte and Bayley nodded.
"It was supposed to be a handicap match. But, I don't know. One minute she was there with me in the locker room and then she said she was gonna go for a walk and….I don't know. The next thing I know she's gone and the writers are telling me it's a quick one on one."
Becky frowned. "She didn't tell you she was leaving or anything?"
"Nope. I texted her. I called her. I went back to the hotel….she wouldn't open the door. She had deadbolted it so even the spare that we give each other wouldn't work. I don't know what happened. I wish I knew the truth, but I don't. I wish I had pushed harder though….we had that whole week off. I tried to call her and text her, but I just figured she wanted to be alone...I didn't know this was what she was doing…."
Charlotte, sensing what was happening, wrapped her arms around Bayley's waist, pulling the smaller woman's body towards her own, placing a kiss to her hair. Bayley sighed, turning in Charlotte's arms and leaning in to her friend's hug.
"I don't know what to do, Char. I've never seen her like this before…"
"Hey, she's gonna be okay, honey. She has us, alright? Don't worry too much about her. We're here now. She's in good hands," whispered Becky, offering Bayley a gentle smile, which was easily returned.
"Thanks guys, for sticking around."
"All four one and one four all," grinned Becky, holding up their signature four fingers, Charlotte rolling her eyes at the pun.
Bayley sat at the edge of Sasha's bed, her fingers gently brushing back strands of hair from her best friend's sleeping face. Both Charlotte and Becky had long since gone to bed in Sasha's guest rooms, both fighting with Bayley to go to sleep as well, but Bayley couldn't. She was too worried about Sasha.
Sasha let out a small whimper, tears once more beginning to trickle down her face. Bayley leaned down, placing a kiss to her friend's forehead and cheek, continuing to stroke back her unwashed hair.
"Shh, shh, shh. You're okay, Sasha. It's alright. I'm right here, honey," whispered Bayley, Sasha's eyes slowly opening, adjusting to the darkness.
Bayley offered Sasha a gentle smile as her brown eyes met Bayley's, Bayley sighing when Sasha averted her gaze once more.
"That's okay. You don't have to talk. Nobody is going to make you. I just don't want you to be alone, that's all," whispered Bayley, stroking her cheek lightly.
Sasha slowly shifted her gaze back to Bayley, struggling to maintain eye contact. Bayley silently held out her arms, praying Sasha would take her up on the offer and let her hug her and hold her. After a few moments of hesitation, Sasha carefully shifting herself so she was in her friend's arms, her own arms wrapped her friend's neck, her face buried in Bayley's shoulder, hot tears soaking into the material of Bayley's t-shirt.
Bayley sighed, adjusting her grip as she gently rocked Sasha in her arms, showering her heartbroken friend with kisses to her hair as she did so.
"What is it, honey? What happened, baby?" asked Bayley, running her hand down Sasha's back, cringing as she heard vicious sobs escaping her friend's lips.
"You're not alone anymore, honey. You have your friends. We're right here, okay?" whispered Bayley, Sasha moaning quietly, still sobbing unrelentlessly.
Bayley closed her eyes, repositioning her body so she was leaning against the headboard, holding Sasha close to her as she continued to cry, keeping her lips close to her ear, trying to soothe her.
Sad, but thankful, when Sasha eventually cried herself back to sleep.