Dry Your Tears Chapter 36
Flashback 12 years ago
No p.o.v
A four year old Amy cried loudly as her aunt argued with her mother in an aggressive manner. A vase laid broken not too far from where Amy was cowering in a closet. She covered her eyes.
"Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"I've done nothing to you! Who gave you the right? Huh? Tell me what the hell I just saw when I came to pick my daughter up!"
CRASH!
Jackie pushed glasses and plates off of her table as she screamed frustratedly. "IT'S CALLED DISCIPLINE!"
SLAP!
Amy's mother stepped back after slapping her sister. She turned and retrieved Amy from the closet. Amy continued to cry as she clung to her mother desperately. She buried her face in her shoulder as her mother walked out of the house. Jackie ran to the front door, dropping glassware on the front porch purposefully. "YOU DON'T DESERVE IT! YOU DON'T DESERVE ANY OF IT! NOT EVEN TO BE A MOTHER!"
Amy's mother softly pushed Amy's head down more, muffling the sound of her sister's screams. She opened the car door and placed Amy in her car seat. Jackie rushed out behind her, but was cut off as Amy's mother closed the front door and started the car. Jackie hit the trunk of the car with her fists as the car began to drive away. She picked up her skirt and ran after it. "STOP!" She ran after the car, gaining speed to where she was side by side with it.
Jackie picked up a rock and hurled it at the front side of the car. It crashed through the window. The car stopped abruptly. Jackie stepped back, breathing heavily as her sister opened her car door. She stepped out, but immediately fell to the ground while clutching the side of her head. Blood was spilling on the ground.
"No no no..."
Jackie ran up to her sister and held her bleeding head in her lap. She touched the wound the rock she threw had left. She pulled out her cellphone, ignoring the blood she was getting on it, and called 9-1-1.
"9-1-1 what's your emergency?"
Jackie froze and held the phone away from her. She couldn't tell. Then she'd get in trouble for being the one to cause the accident.
"Hello? 9-1-1 what's your emergency?"
Jackie hung up the phone and threw her cell phone as far away as possible. Her sister had lost consciousness. With any luck, she'd wake up not remembering what happened. She'd take her car to town and get the window fixed before she woke up. Her ears perked up as she heard Amy's cries from the backseat. She dragged her sister around the car and placed her in the passenger seat. She then got in the driver seat and began to reverse the car back to her home. Amy continued to cry.
"Hush child! Hush..."
end of flashback
No p.o.v
Xander looked up startled as Shadow stormed through the door. Amy was asleep on the opposite couch. Xander frowned. "What in the hell happened to you?!"
Shadow wiped his brow frustratedly. "Stormed that bitch's house, fought with her, got a gun to the head, gave a bullet to her leg and shoulder, then she got away."
Xander blinked, trying to take it all in. "You did what?!"
Shadow waved his hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. How is she?" Shadow gestured towards Amy's sleeping figure. Xander exhaled slowly, holding a palm to his forehead. "She's fine", he muttered. "What I need to know is what in the hell you're talking about?"
Shadow bluntly ignored Xander and kneeled next to Amy. He picked her up gently and began to make his way to her bedroom. Amy stirred but didn't wake up. Shadow looked down at her. She was sweating and twitching, most likely from a bad dream. She looked so vulnerable. He set her down on her bed and turned to leave, but Amy's hand gripped his wrist. Shadow turned to see Amy suddenly awake. "You need to rest-"
"Where did you go tonight?"
Shadow widened his eyes slightly then frowned. "Just out for a walk, what's it to you?"
Amy began to sit up with a struggle. Shadow held an arm in front of her in protest. "Where are you trying to go?"
"Back to the hospital", Amy grunted. "I have to see if Cream is alright."
Shadow shook his head. "You wouldn't make it there and back without collapsing. If you want me to, I'll go see, but you're not going anywhere tonight." Shadow frowned once more as he remembered Jackie's confession of causing Cream's current situation. He didn't dare bring it up to Amy, however.
Amy teared up and laid back on her pillow. "I'm tired of things happening to me. Why does it always have to be me? What's the trick that everyone seems to know that gets them through every day without a flinch?"
Shadow closed Amy's window to keep the cold out as he pondered on her question. He admitted to himself that he often asked the same questions. Things hadn't exactly always gone right for him either. Nevertheless, he kept pushing without a care in the world. Amy was different though. She was fragile, and had a lot of toughening up to do. He scratched his head and shrugged, deciding it best not to offer his opinion on cliché topics such as this one.
Amy stretched her arm up at the ceiling, reaching out at air. "I wish my parents were here", she mumbled to herself. "I got robbed ya know? I only got to know them for six years. There's so many things they could have taught me, and so many milestones they missed. To make matters worse, my mom's own sister won't even let me have any pictures, or anything relating to them of any sort."
Shadow balled up his fists. All of what Jackie had told him came flooding back in violent waves. Your aunt was the reason your parents died. She was always jealous of your mother. Xander and Vera were tricked into keeping you. Cream's health was put in danger because of your aunt too. Shadow frowned and shook his head. He wanted to tell her, but he'd risk breaking her further. "Get some sleep", he murmered as he began to walk to the door. "We can go see Cream in the morning."
"What if", Amy whispered, but trailed into silence. Shadow knew what she meant. What if Cream was dead?
"She's okay", he reassured her. Though he had no right since he wasn't for certain himself. "Goodnight."
"Shadow..."
Shadow looked back at Amy from her doorway. Amy curled up under her covers and looked towards her window. "Never mind...goodnight." Shadow grunted and closed her door softly. He went back into the living room to see Xander pacing back and forth in a frantic manner.
"What is it?"
Xander didn't stop. He only shook his head. "I just got a phone call..."
Shadow frowned. "And...?"
"Jackie is dead."
Shadow shook his head. "Bull shit."
"How do you know?"
Shadow balled his fist. "I just know. Something isn't right here."
Xander widened his eyes, but said no more. He sat back on the couch slowly and rubbed his head. "Dear god..."
Shadow began to pace himself. "Who called?"
Xander shrugged. "Unknown caller I.D. The person just said that Jackie was dead, and hung up the phone."
Shadow rubbed his chin. "I don't know what she's pulling, but something tells me she's not too far away."
Xander looked up at Shadow. "What makes you so sure of that?"
Shadow looked towards Amy's bedroom. "She's never straying too far from her", he muttered quietly.