This one's for Sammyantha and Kylie, because of the D.C. bus ridee! Love you guys! ) Disclaimer: I do not own Max Ride...
As soon as I hit the water, I almost regretted jumping in. My leg had hit a rock and it hurt like crazy. I swam around a bit, and finally I saw Piper. She was floating on her back, her eyes shut and her skin pale. I swam quickly toward her, and grabbed her around the waist. Blood was flowing from her body, but I couldn't find where it was coming from. I swam until we reached the shore, and I laid Piper's limp body on the rocks. "Piper, don't be dead, please," I murmured under my breath. Finding a faint pulse on her wrist, I almost rejoiced until I found a long cut on her forehead. I started to cry. There was almost nothing I could do, so I tore a strip of fabric off of my shirt and held it to her forehead, trying to stop the bleeding. I sat there for easily ten minutes, watching the river ripple.
Then, I heard a car door shut behind me. Turning around with tears still streaming down my cheeks, I saw Bree rushing down the bank. "What happened? Why are you both soaking wet?" I shook my head and she wiped the tears off my cheeks. "Come on, we have to get Piper to a hospital. She can't bleed like that for much longer." Bree said that quietly, knowing I would object. The terrors that we had been through in the School would be too much for us to even set foot in a hospital again. But I had to save Piper, and if that's what it took, that's what would happen.
I carried Piper to Bree's truck, and climbed into the back. Laying Piper's head on my lap, I set my head against the cold truck window and watched the scenery go by. "Bree, I really don't think the hospital's a good idea."
"Well, would you rather her die?" Bree asked in a shrill voice.
"No, of course not. But, Bree, you have to know we're deathly afraid of hospitals. I mean, that's implied right? And what are they going to do when they find out she has wings, hmm?" I mumble, hoping Bree would see reason.
"Jace, hun, I can't treat her at home, and I really don't want her to die. I know that would break your heart," she said simply. I sighed and looked down at Piper. She still looked pale and lifeless. I brushed my lips against her forehead and her eyes fluttered open.
With a small smile on my face, I murmured, "Hey, Piper."
"Where am I?" she muttered, still lying motionless on my lap.
"In Bree's car. We have to take you to the hospital. You have a bad cut on your head, and…" I trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"I'm so sorry, Jace," she whispered, looking up into my eyes. "I shouldn't have done that. Wait…how did you get me out?"
"I jumped in after you," I said quietly. "I wasn't going to let you die." Piper closed her eyes.
"I feel so stupid," she whispered, her chest moving up and down slightly.
"Piper, just calm down. They can fix you up at the hospital," I whisperer. She was silent the rest of the way, and that kind of worried me, but I tried not to freak out.
When we arrived in the parking lot, I carried Piper out of the car and into the hospital. The lady at the desk rushed up to us as soon as we made it in the door. "What happened to her?" she said, breathless.
"Long story. Can you treat her or not?" I breathed harshly. I wasn't in the mood to explain just yet, Piper needed serious help. Soon, some nurses came in with a stretcher and rolled Piper away, leaving me and Bree in the waiting room. I was nervous as hell, and then a doctor came out.
"Are you the bird girl's….friends?" he asked.
Glaring, I said, "Yes."
"Come with me. I have some questions for you." I nodded my head and followed him, Bree not far behind, through the hospital to a small, office-like room. He nodded to some seats and I sat down. Bree stood at the door, looking nervous.
"Bree, sit, please," I muttered. She walked over slowly and sat in a chair right next to mine. The doctor approached us.
"So," he began, and something in me snapped.
"Don't ask too many questions. I'm not going to answer most of them. And Bree here knows next to nothing about us," I said in a harsh tone.
"So, do any of you have wings?" he asked, completely ignoring my comment.
"I do," I said, standing up and snapping my wings out as proof. The man's eyes went wide, and so did Bree's. I don't remember ever showing her my wings.
"Okay," he said, making some notes in a folder.
"Mister, I am not a science experiment. You better not take notes on me," I snapped, fed up with everyone treating me like a freak of nature. It was bad enough to be one, I didn't need any reminders.
"I'm…I'm sorry, sir," the doctor said, fumbling with the folder and then putting it into a desk. "Do you have any other…abilities? Can you actually fly with the wings?"
I answered his questions as he threw them at me for well more than ten minutes. Bree sat in a chair, listening and nodding. Then, I snapped at him, "That's enough. When can I see Piper? Is she okay?"
"She's recovering fairly well, and you can see her now." I stood up and followed him out the door. Bree didn't come with me, and that made me curious. But, whatever. I was going to see Piper.
When we got to the room, Piper was sitting up in her bed, looking out the window. She turned to me and a big smile broke out on her face. "I'll leave you two alone," the doctor murmured, walking out the door. I went to go sit next to her on the bed, and she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me close to her.
"Jace," she whispered, and then she pushed her lips against mine. When she pulled away, she laid her head on my shoulder and I started to stroke her back.
"Piper, are you okay?" I whispered, and she nodded.
"Just…tired. And everything hurts." She looked up at me with sad eyes and I leaned closer to her. "Jace, you should go home. They said I'll be out by tomorrow, and I don't want you to have to sleep in my hospital room because I was stupid." When I opened my mouth to refuse, she put her finger to my lips. "Please, Jace? Take Bree and go home." I nodded helplessly as she brushed her lips against my forehead. "Thanks," she whispered as the doctor came in the room, flanked by Bree.
"Um, sir, I think you should be leaving now," he muttered and I nodded. Not looking back, I walked out of the room, following Bree.
When we arrived outside, Bree sat on a bench near the door. After I sat down next to her, she asked me, "Is Piper okay?"
"Yeah," I murmured back. "As okay as she will ever be."
Looking confused, Bree asked quietly, "So what happened at the bridge? I really don't think she just fell off…" Bree trailed off, and I know she knew exactly what happened, so I didn't feel the need to elaborate. Wiping a tear from my eye, I nodded to a café across the street.
"Why don't we get a bite to eat?" I muttered, trying to get my mind on something else.
"Sounds good," she said, standing up and offering her hand to me. Taking it, we started the journey across the street.
Bree trailed a bit behind me, and then suddenly let go of my hand. Looking back, she had stopped in the middle of the street.
"Bree, what are you doing?" I called out, a little worried. But I kept walking, because I was in the middle of the street. Suddenly, Bree screamed.
"Jace, watch out!" She rushed back to me and pushed me out of the way, toward the sidewalk. I fell onto the sidewalk, and right as I looked back up at Bree, a car came out of nowhere and hit her. She flew forward and fell to the ground, her body limp.
"Bree!" I screamed, and ran out to her. I pushed her bangs out of her eyes, and tried to revive her. She wouldn't move, and I only found a faint pulse. Soon, there were people flooding out of the hospital and loading her onto a stretcher. They ushered me back into the waiting room, where I sat for a long time until another doctor came out.
"How's she doing?" I choked out, looking up at the doctor.
"Not good," he muttered back. "She's in surgery right now. Would you like to stay here or go home?" I asked if I could go to Piper's room, and he led me to it.
As soon as I stepped into her room, tears started to stream down my face.
"Oh, Jace, what's wrong?" Piper said when I started crying. "Come over here." I respected her wish and went to sit on her bed for the second time that day. She asked again, "Jace, what's wrong?" She held out her arms and I sank into them.
Soon, I told her. "Someone hit Bree with a car. She's in surgery right now. They…they don't know if she will live." Piper's eyes widened, and I had no clue what she was thinking. I knew they didn't particularly like each other.
"Jace, I'm so sorry," she said, clutching me to her chest. After I sat up again, she reached a shaking hand to my face and wiped away my tears.
I leaned back against her again, and said, "I don't know what I'm going to do if she dies. She's always been there for me, and Piper, I don't want to be alone."
"Jace," she whispered into my ear as she scooted closer to me, "you won't be alone. You have me, remember?" I wrapped my arms around her waist.
"Piper, you don't understand. She's like a sister to me or something. I've known her forever, and if she dies…I seriously won't have any family." Tears started to run down my cheeks again.
Piper moved closer, and started to play with my hair. "Jace, you will have me. I promise I won't leave you alone," she whispered into my ear.
"Piper, you don't understand!" I insisted. I had no clue how to explain to her what Bree was to me, but I tried. Soon, she put her lips on mine again, and I took that as a sign to shut up.
Then, she was sitting on my lap, pulled close to me. I had stopped crying, and she was giggling about something I had said when the doctor came in.
"Ahem, I'm sorry for breaking up your…party, but your friend isn't doing well. I wanted to see if you wanted to…see her?" Looking at his face, I could tell something was wrong. I didn't know what, but I needed to see her.
I looked back at Piper, and she whispered, "If you go, I'm coming with you." I shook my head, and she said, "Please?"
Not the best, but I'll be back soon. People have just been pestering me. So, review?