Where's My Dolly?

For people who still care, here's an update after god knows how long! Hope you like 3

Chapter 4: Some answers

Leaf speed walked through the hospital's automatic doors which were barely opening fast enough for her. The professor followed right behind her, telling her which way to turn in the similar looking halls and corridors of the hospital.

She eventually stopped at a room in the intensive care department. She was a bit hesitant in opening the door. She had directed this way but she was really hoping that she wasn't going to see what she thought she was going to.

And when the professor opened the door and urged her in, she saw what she had dreaded since she had been told that the police had found her parents and they were heading to the hospital. It did not take a genius to piece together what was to come.

On the other side of the window, on a bed and with countless number of tubes attached was Leaf's mother, the women she had not seen in days. She was motionless.

Leaf could feel her eyes water even more than when she was told she was coming here. Everything was now a blur to her. It was weird. Just a few hours ago, she was sitting in chemistry making Gary play hangman with her and before she knew it, her mother was in a life threatening state. The doctor's weren't even sure if she was going to make it.

But what about her dad? She had only been led to see her mother but what about the man that protected her from the monsters in her closet when she was four?

She turned to the professor who was standing by her side the whole time, silent. "Where's my dad?" she somehow managed to say through the lump that was staying in that one spot that prevented her from talking in a normal voice.

The professor took a breath. "He's still in the operating theatre…" the professor said slowly and quietly, afraid that if he had said it any louder it would make Leaf collapse or something.

It was this very moment that Leaf actually felt herself shed her first tear. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her dad was probably in a worst state than her mother.

The brunette felt herself sinking to her feet as her back slide against the window that was blocking her from being right next to her mum. Her tears were trickling down her cheeks uncontrollably.

She felt a hand on her shoulder.

"You're welcome to stay with Gary, Daisy and myself for a while."

Xx-x-xX

The door opened with a slight squeak.

Gary entered emptied the books in his bag into his locker and shut the door behind him, allowing his back to rest on it. He pulled his phone out of his pocket again and checked it for any texts or missed calls. Nothing… Again. It had barely been a minute since he last checked it.

"Someone's looking a bit paranoid today." Said a cool voice from beside him.

Gary looked up to see Drew leaning on the locker next to him. He looked at Gary, waiting for him to say something like a comeback to him.

Gary shook his head. "It's Leaf," he started, "She still hasn't text back even though I told her to text me as soon as possible."

Drew could see the concern in Gary's expression. "Maybe she's just busy."

Gary shook his head again, "You don't know Leaf. She'll text me a million times a day even when I specifically tell her not to."

Drew didn't know what to say to that.

It silent for a while, that is until they heard someone cough.

The two boys looked to see who it was.

"Move grasshead," May ordered, "I need to grab my P.E. kit." She finished as she stepped forward and attempted to shove Drew out the way.

"No you don't." Drew replied as he continued to lean on her locker.

May groaned. "No seriously, move. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

"Well I'm only doing you a favour by telling you P.E. is cancelled."

Both Gary and May looked at Drew with a confused expression.

"A girl died in one the girls' changing rooms last night." Drew explained, not shifting from his position at all. "The police aren't sure if it's murder or suicide so until further notice, all P.E. and sports clubs are cancelled until further notice."

"I heard that too!" Dawn chipped in, appearing out of nowhere and giving the guys and May a fright. She walked over to her locker which was slightly further along from where everyone else was standing. She entered her combination into her locker and with a click, it opened. Dawn was about to just empty everything messily into her locker like usual when she noticed something that didn't belong.

A doll.

Not just any doll; it was Leaf's doll. The same doll that she had in her locker yesterday. The same one that Dawn wanted to borrow for her art project.

"What are you doing in my locker?" Dawn asked.

The others weren't sure who Dawn was talking to or rather if she was talking to a person at all. She did have a tendency to talk to herself and inanimate objects a lot.

Dawn picked up the doll and showed it to the others. "When did Leaf put this in my locker?" she asked, as she inspected the doll and her locker for a note that Leaf may had left behind. She did not find anything.

Xx-x-xX

The front door to the Oak household opened. Gary stepped into the remarkably cooler house and shut the door behind him, keeping the uncomfortable heat out. In the background of the usually quiet house, Gary could hear his grandpa talking to someone- probably not Daisy though. His speech was a bit more polite than when he spoke to either Daisy or Gary.

But Gary concluded that hearing his grandpa's voice was a good thing. It meant he could finally get some answers about what is happening with Leaf.

He entered the living room where the professor sat in his usual armchair with a mug of coffee in his hand. Across from him on the larger couch was Daisy and Leaf, who looked notably sad; depressed almost.

Gary looked confused. "What's going on?" He let his bag drop to the carpeted floor.

"Leaf is going to be staying with us for a while." His grandpa replied, holding his mug up near his lips. "She'll be staying in the room across from yours."

Gary walked over to Leaf and sat beside her. He put an arm round her shoulder while Daisy retreated hers, and got up.

"I'll go clean up the guest room for Leaf." Daisy said, and then left the room.

"I'm going to call Officer Jenny and see if she has any updates." The professor stated as he picked up the phone and left the room from the door closest to him.

Gary watched as the two of them left the room. He did not say anything until he heard their footsteps fade into the background. "Do you want to tell me what happened?" he asked as he started to stroke Leaf's arm comfortingly.

Leaf kept her head down. "Mum and dad are in hospital…" she started, not really knowing where to start from, but never-the-less she continued on.

Xx-x-xX

"Yes, yes…Really? The neck?" The professor said, surprised by what he's been told. "I think I know exactly who's doing this. But I need to time to tr-"

Knock knock.

The professor hung up as soon as he heard the knock on the door, not even bothering to finish what he was saying, let alone saying goodbye to the person on the other end.

"Gramps?" Gary called out as he pushed the door to the laboratory slightly, just enough for him to slip in.

"Gary!" The professor said as he spun round. "Where's Leaf?"

"She's asleep in the guest room." He answered as he approached the older man. "Is everything okay with you? Who was that on the phone?" He questioned.

"Yes, yes, everything's just fine. And no one in particular. Just a colleague. " He said as he sat down on his chair. "What brings you here?"

"Just checking if you're okay." Gary started cautiously, "You looked lost in thought during dinner. You know something…"

The professor sighed. "Maybe."

Xx-x-xX

Okay, that's this chapter done! It's shorter than the norm but it'll do for now! Happy Halloween everyone!

Also, like usual, R and R! Ta :D