Saving Lotte Sullivan | Collingwood/Carlton

37: Where Is Lotte?

A/N: Just dropping in here, this chapter was nearly ready to publish but then I saw the news, my favourite Collingwood player was delisted this week...big shock to the system. Tyler deserved better and so did Cal. It's just like Carlton getting rid of Liam Stocker...what are these list managers thinking? Got me thinking Adeline did better as assistant in Family Portrait!

...

Lotte walked up the fire escape stairs in the dark as she unlocked the door, hands shaking. She looked around for the light switch as she walked in.

'Hey Lotte, I-'

'Tyler?' Lotte asked, shocked as she heard the unmissable deep voice. She quickly put her phone flashlight on, accidentally shining it in his eyes. 'How did you get here from the hospital so quickly?' She questioned, as she locked the fire escape again.

'You don't take the train? It was really fast' he said, as if it were obvious. 'Bus replacements' she said. 'Yeah, okay. I got an Uber' Tyler said, rolling his eyes.

'I thought you were supposed to stay with Jack. You told the club you would, until a member of his family showed up' Lotte said, as she unlocked her apartment door.

'Nobody is showing up, Lotte. Cal, Trent, Nathan, John, you, me...we're his family. Those who were going to show up did' Tyler said, looking somewhat pissed off as he folded his arms. Lotte sighed.

'Well at least tell me your brother is still with him. I know Trent had to go home, because his dad or stepdad is the welfare coach and didn't want him involved in the first place' Lotte said. Tyler nodded.

'Callum won't leave him. Trust me, I know he won't. The doctors and nurses there, they couldn't even tell him and I apart. I won't be missed, Cal can easily call himself by my name for the rest of the night. I'm exhausted. He kept me up the entire night with worry, and then the one time I think he's okay and I go to sleep...' he explained, trailing off. Lotte had a real good look at him under the rough dim landing light. He was certainly exhausted.

'Why are you here in Reservoir? Go home' she said gently, as she closed the fire escape door and locked it. Tyler didn't move.

'I was going to do that, but Jack did ask us earlier to grab that thing for him, so I had to come out here anyway. I don't know what to do, Lotte' He said, as the girl walked over to her apartment and unlocked it. 'Watch the cat doesn't try to escape' she said, letting him in.

'The landlord told Jack he wasn't allowed to have any pets here. He had a crazy cat phase after he saw one once before a game' Tyler said, as he awkwardly looked around, unsure what to do. Lotte turned the apartment lights on.

'I'm not supposed to have pets either, but what the landlord doesn't know won't kill him. Socks is well behaved. A bit scared of the neighbours though' Lotte said, raising her eyebrows as she walked over to the kitchen and started up the kettle.

'What, the old woman across the hall?' Tyler asked, wondering what was so bad about her. It seemed Jack was the problem there.

'No, she's annoying, but she's not a problem for me personally. You'd never believe it, but I have this neighbour on the other side of the wall - he's crazy. Up at all hours playing loud music, smoking whatever, inviting his loud friends over to play video games and drinking' Lotte said, as Tyler nodded. 'I am one of those loud friends and I am sorry' he apologised.

'Ty, why are you still standing? Sit down. I'll make you a coffee or something, I don't know but I'm...I'm not going to bed just yet. Too much going on in my mind from Jack, Nick, Ashlyn, Bridget...' Lotte said, trailing off.