I really hope you guys aren't going to be bored with another Kevin POV but I really need to get away from that bed! I'm not a hospital fan, not even fictional ones.
Now, my Dad doesn't read my fan fictions, because that would be a bit weird but in honour of Father's Day, I want to dedicate this chapter to my wonderful Daddy. He's a pretty great man x
Sophie1245 - Oh wow, not sure I've got room for that but I'll open it up to the readers: anyone else wanna see a AU one shot of Kevin in the hospital bed? I'll happily do it.
Waterloo road 16 - I think I feel a bit emotional too! I didn't want to be too dramatic and spend the rest of the story writing Dynasty vs baby depression but I thought a narrow escape might help get some Steve-O anger going for later, if there's not enough already! Plus, am I the only one who thinks Kevin even talking about kids is hilarious?
Virgo girl 14 and Guest - I'm so glad you're enjoying it. On with the next chapter.
Guest 2 - N'aww! I got a 'babes.' Have a hug from me. I'm happy to be anybody's favorite story! X
Jouren4Life - Gosh, I think Dynasty's started a trend! Lovely to hear that you're liking this as always. :)
Bex - How about I promise you they will have a happy life eventually?
Chapter Thirteen
Kevin eyed the cold pasty before him suspiciously, prodding the spongy pastry with his fork.
The hospital buzzed with the chatter of doctors, patients and visitors alike but Kevin had grown used to the noise.
"Come on, Kev. You need to eat something," Chalky urged, taking a large bite of pizza and moaning as a tomato adorned mushroom fell onto his shirt.
"I'm not hungry."
Kevin thrust his napkin at Chalky who was now smudging the red stains with his fingers. He stood up and walked over to the bin, scraping away his food before returning to his seat.
Wearily, Kevin's head fell into his hands and he rested his elbows on the table, closing his drooping eyes.
Kevin's blood pounded numbly in his ears as he rubbed gently at his temples to relieve the tension of his headache. He winced as his stitches pulled tightly at his flesh.
"So... Dynasty Barry," Chalky prompted hesitantly.
Kevin chuckled lightly at the awkward lilt to his voice. He raised his head. Kevin smiled a fond, sleepy smile at his foster father.
"She's changed," Kevin replied simply, shrugging his shoulders and relaxing back in his seat.
Chalky lowered his pizza slightly before pointing it accusingly at Kevin.
"Yeah, so have you; you're stupider than when I left you. What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that psycho raped my girlfriend," Kevin blurted angrily.
He waved an apologetic hand at a startled elderly man sat at the next table.
Kevin calmed himself with a deep breath.
"I mean, she wasn't my girlfriend at the time but... never mind; it's a long story," Kevin muttered.
Chalky took a large, pointed bite of his pizza and chewed quickly.
"Suppose it's unfortunate that we have so much time on our hands then," Chalky sighed sarcastically.
Kevin wanted to walk away and his foot twitched towards the door, but there was a small, exhausted and suffocated part of him that wanted to tell Chalky everything.
So he did. Kevin smiled as he recalled Dynasty's sarcastic comments and animatedly described her quest to steal his chess tournament victory.
His cheeks glowed red as he briefly glossed over the surprising turn their relationship had taken from there.
Soon Kevin was divided between blazing fury and sadness as he detailed every moment of Steve-O's torment until Dynasty closed her eyes, Steve-O's bullet lodged deeply in her flesh.
"I don't even know how it got this far," Kevin finished.
Chalky, having abandoned his pizza, watched Kevin closely from across the table.
"Do the police know all this?" he asked.
Kevin glanced over his shoulder towards Dynasty's room along the hall and shook his head.
"Not yet. They're with Dynasty now so I guess they'll come and question me next now I've been patched up."
"Speaking of, how are you feeling?"
Chalky lifted Kevin's face by the chin and eyed the day old dressing below his jaw.
Kevin's lip quirked as he jerked away.
"I'd feel better if you weren't trying to pull my battle scars apart," Kevin jested, pushing Chalky's hand back across the table.
After a moment his smile fell.
"Honestly? I just want to go home and sleep until Christmas," Kevin said wearily.
Kevin's mind reminded him harshly that he had no bed to go back to. The school house, despite Mrs Budgen's kindness would never be able to mimic the security and the utterly 'at home' feeling he had experience in Chalky's flat. And yet, that was tainted for him also. Kevin wondered if he could ever truly sleep easy in his own bed again. He doubted Dynasty would ever return to the flat at all.
Christine pressed her lips into a thin line and looked up from the book grasped tightly in her hands.
"When viewing the women of the text as victims of patriarchy how would you suggest that the Snow Child is exploited by the Count?"
She sighed, almost gratefully, as half of her AS Literature class stared blankly at her. The other half, she noticed with frustration, were rifling through their books, their eyes darting across the pages as they read the short story for what she knew would be the first time.
"Well she gets raped, doesn't she?" Jack proclaimed triumphantly, his finger still resting on the page of his book so he wouldn't lose his un-highlighted quote.
Christine throat constricted in response to his blasé tone.
"Yes, she does-"
"But Carter also calls her the 'child of his desire' so, you could say the Snow Child was just too pretty for her own good," he continued.
Christine gritted her teeth against the angry screams building in her throat. She swallowed back the acrid taste in her mouth as Michael appeared around the door to her classroom.
She nodded slightly before turning back to her class.
"I'm not sure that, as a feminist author, Angela Carter is suggesting that beautiful women deserve to be abused, Jack. Now, in your pairs I want you to discuss the contextual factors of The Bloody Chamber collection. Be prepared to feed back."
Christine left her book on her desk and followed Michael out into the corridor.
"Hello," Christine greeted him with a smile.
Michael's attitude remained serious despite her flirtation.
"I need you to compile a package of resource materials for Dynasty Barry, containing anything she'll miss from now until the start of exams. She'll have to re-sit the exams in January, there's no way around it."
Christine sighed.
"How is she?" Christine inquired nervously, unsure whether she wanted to know or not.
"Alive, thankfully, as you know but beyond that we haven't heard anything. Tom's going down to check on her tonight. As far as I know Connor and Imogen were at the hospital with Kevin most of the night so I haven't heard from them either. I won't begrudge them a day off to sleep given the circumstances."
Christine could only nod slowly. Michael ran a gentle hand down Christine's arm and walked away, leaving her cold and despairing in the corridor.
