Our Fighting Chance

Part Nine - Build-A-Foster

Her POV //

I woke up in Zac's bed, confused to see that he wasn't here. 

"Z?" I called out as I sat up against the headboard. 

He cussed from behind the door, opening it gently as his head popped in. 

I smiled, watching as he cautiously stepped inside, putting his hands in his pockets. 

"I made breakfast" He grinned sheepishly. 

He was always an amazing cook, in the kitchen with my mum. They created the most delicious meals, I missed his cooking. 

We sat together, eating in silence. I know he had questions, thoughts but I don't know if I could bring myself to talk about it. 

"I don't know how you'd feel about this, whether you'd hate it or love it. I can throw it away" He began rambling.

I have no idea what he's talking about but his eyes kept darting to behind the counter so I got up, walking toward it cautiously. 

"If it's a live animal, tell me right now" I muttered, hearing him laugh. 

I stopped to see a box, a build-a-bear box to be specific. What the hell did this man do?

I placed it up on the counter, opening it excitedly. I started laughing, sitting beside him as we looked down at the raccoon plush. It was perfect, so so cute. 

He held onto its paw, turning to me. "I stayed up last night, putting this together. I don't remember how the voicemail went but uh this is the best I could do" 

My chest tightened, it was the not knowing that scared me more. 

His hand reached for my thigh, squeezing it gently. "You don't have to-"

"Hi my darling girl, Hi sweetheart, Hi Lils, I love you. I love you. I love you" 

I stared at it, the words echoing in my head. Hearing their voices again, all three of them. It stung a part of me I couldn't reach. 

Zac's breath hitched, he was nervous, holding his breath. 

I pressed it again, feeling tears brim my eyes. I needed to hear it again; to hear them. 

This time, I turned to him, watching his eyes glossed as it played. He did all this for me. 

"Thank you, Z. Thank you so much" I whispered, wrapping my arms around his shoulder as he pulled me closer by my waist. 

It was perfect, not too painful, just right. It's what i've been longing to hear since that night. 

We pulled away, his hands immediately reaching for my face, wiping away the tears. "It's okay?" He asked concerned. 

I smiled, nodding my head eagerly. It was more than okay. 

His smile faltered as he pressed his lips together. Thinking and I know exactly what he was about to ask. And as much as I could prepare myself, nothing could compare to the pain of the words alone. 

"What happened to Eli?"

*2 Years Ago*

"Lils?" Eli's hoarse voice spoke up, jolting me from my thoughts.

He's awake, he's finally awake. "Hey buddy, there you are" I chuckled, thanking God. 

He smiled at me before looking around the room his brows furrowed. He doesn't remember. The doctors said he might not but I was praying that he would. 

I reached for his hand, feeling him squeeze it gently. "What happened, Lils?" 

My eyes shut, feeling my heart drop. I'm going to have to tell him everything. Me, alone. 

I heard him mumble, the bed shaking so my eyes shot open. He was crying. 

"Eli, there was a crash. A drunk driver" I spoke softly, almost wanting him not to hear me. 

His eyes shut as he processed this, it pained me to see him so distraught. 

"Mum and dad? where are they?" He asked, breathing heavily. 

I tried to calm him down, only for him to start yelling, asking for them. 

I wiped away my tears, meeting his eyes. "They- they didn't make it buddy, I'm sorry" 

He covered his mouth as our cries filled the room, mourning the loss of our parents. 

The monitors began blaring as the bed shook. Nurses and doctors ran in, dragging me out of the room. 

"Eli" I called out, holding onto my chest. I couldn't watch, I can't see him in pain again.

I waited, just wanting the sounds to stop. I need Eli to be okay, to pull through. He's only 11, he has so much life to live. So did our parents. 

Once the doctor stepped out, talking to me, it felt as though i couldn't understand english anymore. I couldn't hear him or even read his lips, nothing made sense. 

I looked in the room to see Eli's eyes fluttering open as his hand moved to his chest so I ran inside, looking down at my brother. 

"Don't do that again, don't you dare give up on me Eli" I cried, holding his hand against my head. 

He squeezed my hand three times, making me look up at him. He had a smile on his face, he was happy. 

"I saw them, it was like in a movie. They were calling for me Lils, telling me to come home" His voice cracked.

No, no. He's not going anywhere, he's alive, he survived, he's here. 

I shook my head at him, "You are home, this is home, here with me. Don't give up on me. We still need to watch spider-man, we'll move back home, see Zac fight, move into a house, we'll be okay together" 

He didn't budge, his eyes remained on the ceiling with that smile on his face. "Promise you'll go see Zac and everyone else again. You'll watch spider-man for me and be happy?"  

I fought back the tears, "Why are you saying this Eli, I am happy. We will be happy" My voice croaked. 

He pulled my hand to his cheek, leaning against it. "You're not happy Lils and this is not home. Dad said that home can be a person, Zac is your home. Mine is with mum and dad" 

I gave in, crying as I held onto my chest, the other against his cheek. "Please don't talk like you're leaving, you're not going to die" I responded, wiping away his tear. 

It was within the way he looked at me, his eyes glazed with something unknown, something i never want to see again. 

"I love you Lils" He whispered making me shut my eyes, I refuse to believe he knows something I don't, he's alive and he's breathing. "Say it back" 

"I love you too Eli" I whimpered, watching as he placed a kiss on the back of my hand. 

The machines began blaring again so i looked at the heart monitor, the sound of it flatlining tearing a piece of my heart. 

"I love you"