South Park: Dragging Me Down

Coping

"Come on Kenny!" Karen encouraged as she dragged her brother down the pristine hospital corridor. "This way!"

"Wait up, sis! You don't even know where we're going!" Kenny chuckled, allowing himself to be pulled along. The siblings came to a stop next to the maternity ward and Karen giggled at her mistake, knowing Pip wouldn't be anywhere in there.

Scooping his sister into his arms with a smile, Kenny quickly backtracked and made his way down the correct corridor where he remembered Pip's room was. He soon came to a stop outside the door and peered in through the window to see Wendy still sitting by the Brit's bedside, the two engrossed in conversation. A warm feeling consumed Kenny's chest as he watched them converse.

He felt a tug at his coat.

"Is that your girlfriend?"

Kenny almost choked on his sister's words, letting out a restrained gasp. He had no idea where Karen had gotten that from. "She's a good friend, yes."

"She's pretty!"

"I know."

Karen giggled and wiggled out of Kenny's grip. She opened the door and ran into the room, surprising its occupants when she practically launched herself towards them.

"Pippy!" Karen excitedly cried, arms outstretched as she ran to the bed. She snuggled her face against his arm and looked up to see his shocked expression. Across the bed, Wendy was wearing the same face.

"M-Miss McCormick!" fell out of Pip's mouth, his face going through a range of emotions before settling on the one which dropped his mouth wide open. "W-What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you!"

"O-Oh!" he squeaked, awkwardly patting her head. "Um, thank you? I'm happy to see you again."

She beamed, nodded hurriedly, then looked across at Wendy. "Hi Kenny's girlfriend!"

Wendy's eyes widened and a vibrant blush burst open on her cheeks at the little girl's statement. She rubbed the back of her head and was soon tackled into a hug herself.

"I'm Karen! It's nice to meet you!" she giggled, hugging her tightly.

Wendy's shocked face morphed into a happy one and she hugged the girl back. "I'm Wendy. It's great to meet you too, Karen."

"I wanted to come see Pippy and Kenny let me come here to see him!" she proudly told them, running back around the bed to launch herself at Pip again.

"P-Pippy?" Pip squeaked, his eyes coming together when Karen poked him on the nose.

"Pippy! It's cute like you!"

"Gah!" Pip went scarlet and covered his face with his arms.

Wendy stood up as Kenny joined them and the two gazed at each other briefly before turning their attention back to a gushing Karen and embarrassed Pip. She now had her head on his lap and was stroking his knee.

"I've been really worried about you..." she admitted quietly, her innocent eyes meeting his own. "Kenny told me... about..." she lowered her voice. "Are you okay?

Pip couldn't help but give her a small smile. "I am, thank you."

Karen's eyes met some of the bruises on his face and she gave him a mournful look, feeling sorry for him. She knew what it was like to hurt like that. She hugged his lap.

Pip turned his head to Kenny, nodding it in thanks. Kenny nodded back and then stole Wendy's seat, patting his knees in an effort to get her to sit in his lap. Wendy rolled her eyes and continued to stand at the bottom of the bed, watching Karen, who had brightened up and was now telling Pip about her schoolwork.

"-and then we got to draw lots of pretty pictures of butterflies! I like butterflies, do you like butterflies, Pippy?"

"Oh, I... I think they're pretty. Very pretty. Like... you?" he spoke unsurely, hoping his compliment didn't come off as creepy.

His words tugged at Wendy's heartstrings and she watched as Karen once again threw herself at Pip's frail frame, pulling him into a hug as she thanked him for saying she was pretty.

Pip clearly didn't know how to hold himself or respond to her affection so he just gave her a shaky smile which he hoped would convey how much he appreciated her company. As he observed her, her face briefly morphed into that of his sister, taking him aback. He let go of Karen and rubbed the back of his neck as his memories started to plague him again. Images of his sister popped up in his head, including the words from her sharp tongue.

"You're just an idiot."

"I wish you'd never been born."

"You deserve to die!"

Pip shuddered, lowering his head. Even though he was safe from her now, Georgiana still managed to haunt him in many ways, and this made him long for her all the more.

He just really missed her.

When he'd first arrived in hospital, Mysterion had told him that she'd been arrested, along with her boyfriend and his mates. This had instantly made the Brit feel guilty as he felt completely responsible for their incarceration. All he wanted to do was call his sister and let her know everything would be alright, but he felt conflicted because he was slowly learning that she'd been abusing him pretty much his entire life which was a bad thing... apparently.

However, the way she'd treated him was still totally normal in his eyes, and he truly felt he deserved every single punishment she had given him throughout the years.

He was worthless.

'You're not worthless!' came an indignant voice at the back of his mind, causing Pip to blink in surprise. That was new.

"Are you okay?"

Pip blinked again and saw he was the centre of attention. He nervously nodded and limply bowed his head, idly rubbing one of the scars on his wrist. "Just thinking..."

"About what?"

A selection of different memories played out in Pip's head all at once. Most featured his sister hurting him in some way, but the most prominent memory was when she'd kicked him out of the house. That particular moment was burned into his mind for life and still made him feel so sad.

"Pip, it's alright..."

Pip moved his gaze up towards Kenny and felt a trail of wetness pouring out of his eyes.

"Please don't cry." Karen whimpered, curling up beside him. "You're safe now. Nobody's going to hurt you any more. I'll protect you."

Pip wiped his tears and gave her a tearful smile.