iWant My Dad

Chapter 2: A Shock

Carly dropped her phone after she heard the news. She didn't hear it crack on the ground or see the case and battery skid across the pavement. All she felt was numbness. All those little prayers to God, all those wishes to those stupid first stars of the night, just for her dad to be okay...they proved to be worthless, nothing but temporary solace from the nightmarish experiences people were forced to deal with.

"Carls," Sam said, (she seemed so far away even though she was only inches away from her) forcing her hand into Carly's tightly clenched fist. "It's going to be okay, Carls, we'll get you through this."

Freddie hugged both of them from behind. "I'm so sorry, Carly," he whispered into her ear. Just those four, soft words prompted a sob to come from Carly's chest. It was a heartbreaking sound, the sound of despair, of complete and total anguish. From the many years Freddie and Sam had known this usually bubbly and cheerful girl they had never heard this strangled sound come from her, and they hugged her closer, shielding her from even more of the heartbreaks of the cold, cruel world.

A whole lifetime seemed to have passed on this lonely bridge when Freddie's cell rang. He went to silence it but Carly smiled a watery smile and broke apart from the tight embrace.

"It's okay," she said, suddenly exhausted. "It might be your mom freaking out, you should answer it."

Freddie stared into her red puffy eyes meaningfully for a moment before fishing the Pear phone out of his pocket and flipping it open.

"Hello?" he answered, his voice oddly hoarse. Carly sighed when she heard it, knowing this tragedy would only affect her two best friends the same way it would affect her. It was like they were the same entity, and they shared their pain with the other two when they felt it.

Sam was silent. Carly glanced at her best friend and was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

"Sam, you're crying!" Carly said, shocked.

"No, I just have something in my eye," she growled, huffing. She looked away. Carly was amazed. There were few times she had seen the blonde headed teen cry, and often time it was for or because of Carly. Carly rubbed her friend's arm in a comforting way, even though she was the one who needed comforting right now. But at that moment Carly had felt a rush of gratitude so great toward her friends that it made her heart hurt. She didn't deserve these amazing friends, but she was glad to have them in times like these.

"Spencer, Spencer, calm down," Freddie was saying, and Carly was snapped from her thoughts. "Carly, okay, she's right here, she's...she's upset, but she's fine. Say it slower this time." He stopped talking, and Carly could hear Spencer on the other line. Then Freddie was talking, and Carly lost interest. She couldn't believe her dad...was dead. She'd always imagined him coming back from his post one day, walking through the door of their apartment and staying for good. It wasn't that Spencer wasn't a good parental figure, she just missed her dad so much sometimes it made her head spin. The way he used to pick her up, twirl her around, and kiss her forehead and call her, "his little princess," or when he'd wake up extra early some mornings to make her and Spencer and her mom the breakfast of champions (eggs, muffins, toast, bacon, sausage, and freshly squeezed orange juice) but then mom had left and he'd buried himself in his work and eventually left for a post in Alaska, and he'd been there for the past several years. Sometimes Carly would have to look at pictures of him to remind herself what he looked like. And now he had been snatched from her, and the small flame hope of him returning was snuffed, and she felt lost, so lost. No more letters, packages, gifts, phone calls. She crumpled onto the ground.

"Carly!" Freddie and Sam said at the same time. They helped her back up and Freddie let her lean on him so she wouldn't collapse again.

"You okay, kid?" Sam asked, softly, stroking her straight brown hair gently.

"I will be," Carly whispered. Her heart had never felt so broken before. Her mascara was running down her face and onto Freddie's blue plaid shirt, but she didn't care right now. She stared at the lake instead. The endless amount of blue made her feel better somehow. Maybe if she dove into the water, felt her body break along with her heart, it wouldn't hurt this much. But Freddie was forcing her to stand straight up again, and she didn't want to. He had felt so warm, and the sound of his heart beating had been so comforting she didn't want to let go, but he was pushing her to the road, to a blue Chrysler whose doors were open.

"Spencer drives a blue Chrysler," she said stupidly. Freddie chuckled.

"I know," he told her. He ushered her into the vehicle. She was still incoherent and the seats felt so soft that she fell unconscious almost immediately. Sam and Freddie sidled in beside her. Spencer looked at his baby sister, pain in his eyes. He hated seeing her so broken.

"I'm sorry for putting you guys through this," Spencer apologized. "I didn't get to tell Carly the whole story."

Sam and Freddie waved it off. "She'll be okay now," Freddie said firmly, staring at the sleeping angel laying beside him. Spencer smiled sadly and began to drive in response.

"Carly! Carly, wake up, come on!"

~R~R~R~R~

Carly stirred a little. She had had an awful dream. Her mouth felt dry and tasted weird and her eyes seemed to be glued shut by her hardened mascara. At last she snapped open her eyes. Sam was sitting over her, slapping her face gently with the back of her hand.

"Leave me alone, Sam," Carly groaned, suddenly realizing she felt like she'd just recently been hit by a truck. "I feel like crap."

Sam chuckled at that one. "Come on, kid, we're here, get up."

Carly made a grunting sound, closing her eyes again. "No, Sam, just leave me be. Let me sleep here for the night."

"Sorry, cupcake, but it's only 2:30 right now." Carly felt her tugging at her arm and knew she was going to lose this battle, so she just sighed and relented.

"Where are we?" she murmured, sleep still making her mind foggy. Then she remembered that her dad was dead, and she doubled over in pain.

"Carly?" Sam said, panicking. "Are you okay? Carly?"

"Stop panicking, Sam," Carly moaned. "Just...period cramps, okay?"

"...Okay," Sam said, but it was obvious she didn't believe her friend. She helped Carly out of the car. Spencer and Freddie were waiting for her.

"Carry me," she told Spencer groggily, holding her arms out. Spencer smiled and accepted the package cheerfully. Carly couldn't believe he could be so happy right now - her dad had just been killed in the line of duty, and he was acting like his normal self. She was in no mood to argue with him right now though so she just settled herself in his arms and closed her eyes. She didn't care where they were, she just wanted this day to end.

They walked inside the building they had arrived at. It was cold and smelled faintly like bleach and she buried her face in Spencer's chest. She must've fallen asleep again, because when she stirred back to life again they were in a room with white and black tiled floors that smelled strongly of medicine. She wrinkled her nose and looked around the room the four were in.

It took her another second to realize they were in a hospital, and another that in the bed straight ahead there was someone laying inside it that she knew all too well.

"Dad?" she whispered, and felt her legs give in to her weight.

~R~R~R~R~

Gosh, I might not continue this one either cuz frankly I suck at writing. Sorry, guys who actually happen to want to read this story! Oh, and I still don't really know how to work this site so sorry if the format is all weird sometimes and whatnot!