AN: Hi guys! So I've been having a bit of a writer's block on Painted Heart lately so this is gonna be the last chapter for a few months, I am NOT abandoning this fanfic, I've been severely depressed to the point I've contemplated going to the hospital. On the fifteenth of November I'm getting my meds reevaluated to see If we can fix the problem before doing anything drastic. I'm not even sure any of you read these notes but I really love you guys and appreciate every review.
Christmas was growing ever closer, it was only a handful of days away.
And he was beginning to feel a touch of cabin fever.
Unfortunately for him his father had been clued in on his recent cutting and his doctor was debating on sending him to up to Psychiatric. Which mind you he was very much against, and he'd voiced so about several times this morning alone.
His doctor finally relented only with the agreement of his father to get him a therapist, and possibly be put on either a higher dosage of antidepressants, or something else entirely.
At this point he was ready to nod his way through anything they asked just to get out of here.
Alastair took that moment to re-enter his room, "Well I have good news, they've agreed to discharge you."
Snorting some he blew his bangs out of his face, he was in need of a trim he thought absently, "So why do you sound like there is also bad news?"
Alastair sighed gently before taking a seat next to his bed, "You always were too smart for your own good, even from a young age. Always inquisitive and searching for the answers between words."
The ravenette's lips twitched upward at the corners a bit, "Yes well, I suppose the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree on some aspects."
Holding back a smile of his own his father nodded, "I have to be in London for a meeting, I tried to get out of it but your grandfather was insistent on the matter."
Of course he'd be leaving.
Why had he thought otherwise?
Why had he figured this time might somehow be different from all the rest?
His fingers gripped the scratchy folds of the gray hospital blanket which dug into the skin of his upper thighs.
He would be alone as always for the holidays.
He...
"Eddward! Edd? Son? Can you hear me?" Came the slightly panic tinged voice of his father.
A large warm hand encircled his shoulder, the warmth spreading down his arm made him blink.
"Edd? Are you with me now?" Alastair questioned again this time softer and more relieved sounding, "You scared me for a minute."
Looking up cyan eyes met dark chocolate brown, and he realized he must have been silent for a good deal of time because his father looked worried for him.
Swallowing the lump that was beginning to form in his throat Edd gathered his courage before forming a smile, "I'm fine dad...just lost in my thoughts. You said you had an important business venture you had to get to correct? Shall I take an uber home? Or perhaps call a frien-"
Two strong arms wrapped around him enveloping him in what his mind registered to be a hug, "D-dad?"
"I'm sorry, I'm making you smile such painful smiles...I'm so, very sorry Eddward. I Never wanted to hurt you with my work. I honestly started all of this to avoid your mother, but when you were born it all seemed to go array. I lost sight of myself, and in turn I hurt you over and over with my own self hatred and bitterness."
Tears welled in both their eyes as his father rubbed his back and pulled away slowly, "I'll be back Christmas Eve even if I have to fly the plane back to the U.S myself."
Sniffling Edd laughed a wet sort of hiccup, "Really?"
"Really." Alastair murmured before carding his fingers through Edd's tangled tresses, "And perhaps you could get your hair cut before then? It's getting rather long and I'm not sure I'll be able to see your eyes pretty soon."
They both shared a meaningful gaze of amusement and Edd shook his head with a laugh, "I was meaning to before the accident I think? It's a bit hazy, but I'll have Marie help me."
"Good, and while I'm gone I think you'll like who you'll be staying with."
He blinked, "Eh? Staying with?"
With a knock to the slightly ajar room door Rosemary and Kevin entered the room.
"Eddward! You look like you're healing wonderfully." Beamed Rosemary.
Tilting his head to the side Edd felt a strong sense of dejavu as if he'd met this warm smiling woman before.
As if sensing his confusion Kevin snorted, "Ma he doesn't remember you remember?"
Pouting Rosemary looked a bit sad but smiled nevertheless, "Well I'm Rosemary Barr, Kev's mommy! I've met you a couple of times and I'm sure Kev told you about your stay with us before your accident? Righttttt Kevin?"
"Yeah...shit um well I was going to?" The red head muttered looking pink in the cheeks, "It slipped my mind"
Rosemary snorted and hip bumped her son out of the way before walking over to the ravenette, "Well I'm sure you were too busy gazing at him sleeping with googoo eyes hmmm?"
"Maaaaaaaaaa the fuck come on! I told you not to embarrass me!"
Snickering the red haired woman smiled gently in Edd's direction, "Did your father tell you you would be staying with us until he gets back?"
Alastiar smirked a bit, "Well I was going to, before you interrupted."
Putting her hands up in mock surrender Rosemary grinned, "Our bad."
"So...I stayed with you for a bit before my accident? And that is why you know me so well right?" He sputtered out at Kevin.
Rubbing the back of his neck the auburn haired teen coughed a bit, "Yeah well...that's the short version I guess?"
"Let's get you packed up then!" Rosemary imputed as if trying to save her son of dying from embarrassment.
Alastair stood and smiled some, "I'll leave you to it, I got you a new cellular phone. I'll be checking in on an off on you the next few days."
He leaned over and ruffled Edd's hair awkwardly before he pulled on his coat and left the three of them behind.
"So we have your pain medication script, your belongings, and your new cellphone. We are ready to go." Rosemary nodded to them, "I'll go pull the car around, why don't you help him carry his bag Kevin?"
"Yeah, okay."
Nodding to them the red haired woman exited the room her red ringleted curls bobbing from side to side in her messy bun as she walked.
"So...um your mom seems nice." He smiled weakly to the ex bully.
"She's handful, but nice is one of her better qualities I guess." Kevin said as he picked up the dufflebag that contained the smaller of the two's things, he slung it over his left shoulder.
Toeing his one hospital issue sock clad foot into his sneaker, he began buckling the other foot brace on his injured leg's foot.
They had offered to give him a crutch but he had vehemently declined, and had settled on a cane instead.
It wasn't recommended and would cause him more pain, but the psychical therapist said it actually might mend the bone and muscles together faster to put more pressure on it.
Picking up the cane he stood wobblishly with an emerald green gaze watching his every move.
He picked up his coat which had been laying over the spare chair, and pulled it on as he feverishly attacked the buttons of it with shaking fingers.
"You good?"
He nodded some, "Lead the way please."
Hovering off to the side for a moment Kevin nodded and did just that.
It would be nice to finally get out of this shoebox of a room that is for certain.
It was cold outside, and he was kind of glad his father had brought his winter coat to the hospital prior to his discharge.
Shivering he limped up the dry salted walkway of Kevin's front yard.
"You sure you don't need help?" Kevin spoke from behind him.
The jock's expression looked constipated and tight but his eyes were overflowing with worry.
Laughing softly at the sight of the tall teen's internal struggle he shook his head, "I'm quite fine on my own Kevin, I've been taking care of myself for as long as I can remember. A snowy walkway and a leg injury won't be changing that."
"Awww it's so knight and shining armor of you to offer to help him though Kev." Pipped Rosemary as she locked the car with a press of a button on her keys.
Sputtering Kevin groaned, as Edd merely flushed at the commentary.
"Well it's freeeeeezing out here, lets hurry up and go inside before we all turn into popsicles shall we?" Kevin's mother grinned as she walked up the steps waiting for them to follow.
After what seemed like forever Edd managed to climb the steps without any assistance from Kevin, even though the red haired male had offered again twice more after the first offer.
Before they could open the front door it swung open revealing Marie, "Well you took your damn time now didn't you?"
Nazz poked her blonde head out from under Marie's arm from behind, "Aww dude you look so much better than what I thought you would you know?"
"Moveeeeee I wanna see Double delicious too!" Nat whined from somewhere inside.
Suddenly Nat, Nazz, and Marie were picked up into a huge hug from behind only to be moved aside revealing the big lovable oaf Ed, "Double D! You're not broken anymore!"
"Ewww sweaty armpit alert! Blarg!" Marie screeched as she jerked in his hold like a wild bull.
The blue haired goth growled and elbowed him in the ribs making him release them.
"Owwwwie!" Sniffled Ed as he moved forward teary eyed his lip wobbling again his gaze falling on Edd.
"Move aside lumpy they need to get into the house dumbass." Came the snarky voice of Eddie.
No...wait a minute...
Ed and Eddie were here?
What...was he dreaming perhaps?
"Whats with the deer in the headlights look for sockhead? Has it really been so long that you gotta look at us like that for? Geez...heart on your sleeve much?" Eddie muttered looking down as everyone entered the house.
"What are you all doing here anyway?" Kevin growled out.
"Well duh Kev, we're celebrating Double D's release." Nazz rolled her eyes.
Nat hooked an arm around Kevin's shoulder and grinned, "We already ordered tons of pizza."
"I brought the monster movies!" Beamed Ed wiping his eyes, "Monsterrrrr movies Double D! Like old times!"
"Let the poor gimp sit down Ed, geez he just got out of the hospital for pete's sake!" Eddie ordered the taller teen.
Edd merely blinked as he was lead over to the couch by Marie.
The coffee table was piled full of junk foods, chips and dips, chocolate, and soda.
"You guys...you...you're really...you're...here..." He spoke dumbly looking back an forth between Ed and Eddie in shock.
"Oh noooo Eddie I think Double D's brains were replaced with mush like in comic book issue #009 Attack of the mush brain zombies!" Ed whimpered as he hugged Edd inspecting his ears for any trace of goo.
"Oiiiii we didn't even watch the monster movies yet and yer' acting weird Ed, that stuff doesn't happen in real life remember? Doofus!" Eddie snorted and sat down as well.
Marie sits next to Edd and glares at both Ed and Eddie, "He's bound to be fucking confused, you guys ditched him freshman year remember?"
"Yeah...about that..." Eddie has the decency to look guilty.
"Double DDDDDD I'm sorrrrrry I love youuuuu please forgive meeeee, don't die again!" Ed sobs clinging to his side.
Finally coming to his senses he blinks again and rubs Ed's back, "I'm okay Ed I'm fine I promise."
"He didn't' die you idiot." Muttered Eddie from is spot.
"No but everyone thinks he might have jumped back at school...and others say he was maybe pushed." Says Nazz.
"He didn't fucking jump." Marie and Kevin say in unison before glaring at each other.
"Hey now guys, let's talk about this some other time yeah? We're celebrating not trying to be depressing!" Nat reprimanded.
Eddie grins some at the ravenette, "So...do you still like pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives on your pizza?"
Flustering some Edd blinks back tears, "Yes, yes I do Eddie."
"Good, cause that's gross so we had to get other pizzas too." Snorted Eddie.
Laughing wetly for the second time that day he smiled a real smile, one of his gap toothed ones that tugged at your heart strings, "Thank you guys, I don't know what made me deserve such...good friends in such a short period of time, but...thank you all the same."
"Stupid sockhead, who said we ever stopped being friends in the first place?"
"GROUP HUG!" Ed booms as he drags everyone (minus Rosemary who smiles off from the side at them) into a huge back breaking mosh pit of a hug.
Today was shocking, and tomorrow might be shocking ever still but for once he wasn't so scared to wake up tomorrow to face it.