Chapter Two: The Write-Off

The ambulance ride was as short as a ride could be, as it only lasted about two and a half minutes. To Lizzy, the ride felt more like two and a half hours. She had just watched the paramedics load the poor girl into the ambulance, after witnessing them check her vitals and ensure they didn't need to whip out the AED and administer CPR. The girl's arm was bound to her chest before she was transported into the vehicle to ensure that the injury wouldn't progress any further. She seemed pretty much all right now on the outside, but she still was unconscious.

Lizzy imagined seeing Daniel in the same state and a wave of worry, nausea, and sorrow swept over her. She braced herself and attempted to retain her normal, stoic, yet open persona. It didn't work very well. She just looked pained. Some may even go so far to say that she looked constipated.

The unconscious ethereal being was now being rolled on a bed to the emergency room. The child was hooked up to an electrocardiograph and attached to a saline IV drip by the pediatric surgeon. Her head wound was cleaned and tended to – it wasn't deep, only gory. Her arm was quickly and efficiently splinted and bound in plaster. Her body was on its way to a speedy recovery. Now all that was needed was for her mind to make its presence.

~*~*~*~

While the paramedics dutifully rescued and escorted the patient to recovery, the police were not doing as well at the scene of the crime. This was partially because the officers on the job were not in sync.

Officer Hutchinson was a good fellow. He was a burly man with a small potbelly, he smoked a little too much, he drank a lot too much, but he did a good job. He was very diligent in his work; especially when the lives of young children were involved. He was the proud father of two girls, twins, age ten. His wife wanted him to retire to spend more time with his family, but he was not one to listen to her pleas. He felt justified into making the world a better place for his girls.

So Officer Hutchinson attempted to involve his younger colleague in his investigation. However, when he noticed that his colleague didn't really care, he just doubled his efforts and ignored her. He pulled out one of his favorite pens from a set of three, and began to write out a report. He left spaces so that he could go back and add more detail to the descriptions when he got back to his office.

He was just about finished with the police report and had signed the form, when the demonic black Lexus ignited. A cloud of nicotine and flames surrounded Hutchinson as the police report fell into the hands of the traitor.

~*~*~*~

Two days later, our heroine found herself in the room of the patient, sleeping while watching over her charge. Weary and exhausted, Lizzy had not given up on her. Daniel was staying over at his best friend James' apartment today so Lizzy could give her undivided attention to the pale, yet coloring girl. Wait. Coloring?

Yes! Her cheeks flushed pink! The girl's breaths became more rapid, and her eyelids began to flutter. Her fists began to clench as if she was attempting to retaliate from a struggle. Lizzy, however, was oblivious to it all until she heard:

"No, no, no, NO!"

The young teen was trembling and whimpering and still stammering the same syllable. Her EKG monitor was going ballistic, and Lizzy pressed the button for the nurse.

"NO, you're wrong!" the girl screamed, "He would never! Don't you dare touch me! No, no, no, no…"

"Shh, shh, it's all right, no one is going to harm you, I promise," poured the words of her new protector, "he won't hurt you anymore."

"Wh-wh-what? Wh-h-h-who… a-a-are you?" The girl, now out of the state of a mix of shock and nightmare, trained her baby blues on Lizzy. She blinked once, and twice, as if each time she reopened her eyes, she would remember something about the young brunette before her. Lizzy was an enigma to her, however.

"I'm Lizzy Bennet, and I'm taking care of you… until a family member or your guardian shows up. I live a few avenues and streets away from the hospital bed that you're sitting in. You just survived a horrible car accident."

"I-I… I did?"

"Yes. But you're safe now. You suffered a concussion, broke your arm, and have some minor cuts and bruises. Don't be alarmed, you're doing great!" (Lizzy laughed a tad nervously at that). "You'll be good as new soon!"

The nurse came in, as requested, and rushed to check her now conscious patient's pulse and temperature. When all was well, she requested the girl's name.

"All… all I know is… that my name is Ana… not Anna. I hate… when someone pronounces Ana… like 'Aaa-na' instead… of 'Ah-na'... My…" Ana looked puzzled, then pained, and then fell silent.

"My…?" coaxed Lizzy.

"I… I don't know what…I was going…to say," Ana replied. "My...my head hurts."

The nurse, looking stricken, checked Ana's head, as if it was going to implode any second. She then asked, slowly (as if it was killing her), if the girl had family members.

"My…my parents…a-a-are…dead…but…but…I don't remember…anything…else."

The nurse paled, ran out of the room as if she were burnt, and proceeded to search for the physician. Lizzy asked:

"Are you sure? Nothing else?"

"Uhh…yes…nothing else. I don't…think…that I have any…one else who…who knows me."

"Do you have a last name?"

"No… All I…know is…that…my name is…Ana…not…Anna."

"The doctor and my lawyer both said that until your legal guardian is located, it is lawfully okay for you to come and live with me and my little brother. I mean, only if you would like to and–"

"Ms. Bennet?"

"Yes, doctor?"

"I'd like to speak with my patient, if you don't mind."

"Umm, uhh, certainly, I'll be right outside."

Lizzy quickly slipped out of the room, almost fearful of Ana's answer. It was crazy, absolutely insane. How could a person have so much control over her emotions? Lizzy sighed, and chewed a fingernail. Perhaps, she thought, it all has to do with Lydia? Or Mom and Dad? Or Grandfather? What the hell is wrong with me?! I hardly ever lose control over my emotions. Since the crash, I'm jittery like an addict going through withdrawal.

"Ms. Bennet?"

"Uhh, yes, doctor?"

"Call your lawyer to set up the contract. Another attorney is going to be summoned to represent Ana. Until she recovers her memory or her legal guardian claims her, she, in her own words, 'would like to be your sister very much.'"

The joy Lizzy felt at the moment was almost comparable to the time when the judge granted her custody and she rescued Daniel from her parents' cruel hands. She nodded to the doctor, speechless with a strange sort of contentment, and whipped out her trusty Blackberry yet again. Oh, and she texted Daniel the new news.

~*~*~*~

Meanwhile, a well-moisturized, manicured, and tanned hand made its way into the late Officer Hutchinson's office desk and placed the deceased man's favorite pen upon a police report. One that already was signed and dated, but not submitted, at the scene of the crime.

A/N: I hope you liked it! Please let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions or if you enjoyed it or not.