That little girl was seven.

Seven.

Never able to walk the world again. Well, I won't be able to either, Clare thought sullenly. She stabbed her spoon at her pudding, disgusted with herself for even thinking a thought like that. I mean, this little girl didn't have a life anymore, and Clare was comparing their misery? Not cool.

She had denied visitors; she didn't want Eli to see her like this. Would he still want her? Did he care that she was a . . . cripple?

Cripple.

No, that can't happen to her, this kind of thing only happened to people in books, people in movies, not people like her.

Handicapped.

Jesus, she was handicapped. Would her mother have to park in those special spots now? Would she have to press a button to open a door?

Disabled.

God, people would send her stupid little pity looks the rest of her life. She hated pity.

Amputee.

Damn it! She had no leg!

She rubbed her face in her hands and couldn't help but wonder, what will Eli do? After all, who wanted to be with a girl who has a stub for a right leg, right?

Well, no time but the present.

She pressed the buzzer and within two minutes a nurse came in her room. "What would you like, sweetie?" Clare noticed the nurse's eyes glance down at her leg, and she bunched the blanket so as to cover the flatness of half the bed.

"Um, I would like visitors now, please." She began shakily, fiddling with her thumbs. The nurse gave a piercing smile and walked out in the room. In twenty seconds tops Eli ran in with Adam. Eli stopped halfway to take in the sight. Clare was sitting there and the upper half of her body was normal, but when you looked down, you could see the lump of her left leg trail down. But when you looked to the right side, you could see a fourth of a lump, then flatness.

Clare noticed Eli looking too and crossed her left leg over her right to make it seem normal looking. It was uncomfortable, but whatever way it took to keep Eli she didn't mind.

"I'm so glad you're okay, you have no idea-"he trailed off, unable to continue.

Clare sniffled, but then her face grew grimmer. "Eli," she began," I can understand that you must feel conflicted, and, I understand if you don't want to be with me anymore." She croaked.

Eli's eyes widened in disbelief. "Whoa Clare, just because you're missing a leg doesn't mean that my feelings change. Unless you don't wanna-?" he trailed off again, afraid she would complete his worst nightmare.

She shook her head vigorously. "No, no, of course not." And for the first time today, he saw her smile."

"Sooo . . . is this pudding any good?"

Adam's voice broke the two out of their reverie. They both chuckled. Clare shrugged, "I don't know." Adam thought about, then plunged his finger in, scooping a healthy amount of pudding on it, and then stuffed it into his mouth. Two second after he put it in though, his face scrunched up as he continually scraped his tongue against the roof of his mouth so as to get rid of the flavor.

"Top hospital service my butt . . ." he mumbled under his breath.

Clare laughed again, happy to have her old friends back, but a sudden thought struck her, "Guys, what happened to the others?" she frowned.

Eli sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Your mom's okay," he began, before she could ask.

"But, the little seven- year old didn't make it. And her father is alive, but not good condition."

Clare remembered the little girl, and when she thought about how she had laughed minutes ago, she felt sick with herself. Why should she be laughing? Her leg was gone and she was laughing? A poor little girls head was lying in the street and she was laughing? After this thought, she sobered up.

After a couple minutes of awkward silence, Clare broke the ice.

"I knew the little girl was dead. I also know she was decapitated. You don't have to hide things like that, you know." She added, furrowing her brow.

Eli looked up, shocked. "How did you . . .?"

Clare shook her head. "I was thrown through the windshield and when I looked around me; her head was right next to mine, her body far away."

Eli let out a strangled cry, and ran out the door. She saw him turn to the male's bathroom.

She faced back to Adam.

"Listen Clare, I get what you're thinking now."

"Do you? Do you really Adam? Because you have both legs, and you didn't see the head of a seven year old right next to you, did you?"

"Clare, I-"

"No!" she continued fiercely. "I didn't think so! And you know, I can see that you keep on looking at my leg, don't try to hide it" she snapped when she saw Adam look away, embarrassed.

Before she could talk again though, Adam too had a rebuttal. "You think its easy being a transgender? You think its fun? God Clare! At least you were born in the right body! And Eli! You think it's easy for him to see his girlfriend without an important limb? And the fact that you bring up a dead seven year old does not help out this situation at all!

"I get that you feel conflicted, and I want you to know, we're not leaving. No matter how hard you push us away, we're not going. You can try, but I promise you that we will make it through. And if you have a problem with that, then I'm sorry." Adam finished after taking in a deep breath.

Clare sat there, bewildered. She shut her open mouth and breathed deeply and said, "I'm sorry Adam. I-I just thought-"

Adam shook his head and cut her off. "No, no. I'm sorry. It was really rude for me to say, and I apologize."

Clare shrugged. "Promise me something?" She asked tentatively.

"Anything." Adam said without missing a beat.

"Promise me you won't think of me differently, just the same Clare you know and love."

"You can bet on it."

…..

Well, there was so much positive feedback that I couldn't help but writing another chapter. I hope you guys like it, I'm trying to capture the struggling and trauma, but I don't think I am, lol. Oh well. Good night.