Love Me Sweet - SEQUEL (A Kaimelia - Kai Bartley/Amelia Shepherd - fanfiction)

Part 15

KAI

I run across the parking garage, my heart pounding in my ears. No one would tell me anything concrete. Just that there was an accident and that Amelia and Scout are both being brought into the emergency room. I should've been there, still at the hospital. Instead of a ten minute drive it would've been a short elevator ride downstairs.

But instead I'd just gotten home, looking around the empty space for a beat before noticing the glasses. I'd sometimes had doubts about Amelia's sobriety. She never wanted to talk about it, was avoidant of going to the meetings. But there was never any proof. Until I picked one of those glasses up, the faint smell of alcohol still lingering.

It broke my heart. Not just the fact that she was still drinking. But more so that she'd lied to me. I'd only had a minute to feel the sadness and hurt before my phone rang and I was out the door.

Pushing past everyone, I come face to face with David who immediately grabs my shoulders to gain my attention. "They're okay. Scout is perfectly unharmed, just shaken up and Amelia has some minor injuries but nothing serious. They're stitching up her arm now but you can go in, come on," he fills me in on the important things before I have a chance to ask anything.

Immense gratitude fills me, not only because they're okay but because David knows exactly what I need. He guides me through the busy room into a smaller trauma bay, pushing the curtain to the side.

Amelia is laying on the bed with the head of it raised, her eyes closed. A resident is working on her arm. The cut that runs across it looks deep, but not very long. The sight still makes me wince. She has a few smaller cuts to her face, but I can't see anything major. I do note that all the wounds seem to be on the left side of her body. 

I look around for a moment, but Scout isn't there. Probably was taken to somewhere more quiet or something. This place can be loud and scary for even an adult, let alone a child. I still wish I could see him so my anxious brain would actually believe he's okay.

"Amelia.." I say softly, nodding to the young doctor who lifts her eyes for a second and takes me in. She seems to recognize me and doesn't say anything.

Amelia slowly opens her eyes, blinking a few times as I come into focus. Then she attempts to smile, but her lips tremble as tears start filling up her eyes. "I'm so sorry.." she whispers, her voice cracking on the last word.

I close the gap between us immediately, putting a hand on her cheek and pressing my lips to the other, careful not to interrupt the resident. She cries softly and I wipe away the tears as they stream down her face. 

We stay like that for a while, until her arm is done being stitched up and gets wrapped up in a bandage. The doctor leaves, pulling the curtain closed behind her and I sit down on the edge of the bed.

Amelia searches my face with her eyes and I do the same to her. I don't want to admit it, but I'm trying to figure out if she's drunk. I didn't see any police officers when I came in. I have no clue what happened. But talking about it seems too hard so I simply look at her. 

She's the first to fill the silence, releasing my hand for a second to wipe away any remaining tears. "It wasn't my fault. I still need to go in and give a statement, but the other driver ran a red light. It's on traffic cameras," she speaks quietly, with not much confidence. It sounds more like she's trying to convince me than just stating facts.

"He um.. hit the front of the car. I have a few broken ribs, this wound and some smaller bumps and bruises. Scout was on the other side so he is fine. He's in daycare now," Amelia continues. She knows me and the fact that lack of information feeds my anxiety. So she's doing her best to fill me in on everything. 

Everything but the part I wish she'd talk to me about.

I nod, staying quiet for a few more minutes and finally deciding to just get it over with. I take her hand again, running my fingers over the back of it softly. Just so she feels my support and doesn't take this as an attack.

"Did they test your blood?" I try and hold my tone neutral and avoid looking into her eyes. I still see her bite her lip from the corner of my vision. Amelia knows that I don't mean just a simple blood panel. I can't smell any alcohol on her, even from up close, but the scent on those glasses was unmistakable. She looks hurt, but doesn't pull away from me.

"They had no reason to, no. It was clear that I didn't.. That it wasn't my fault," she replies quietly.

I nod again, taking a deep breath before finally meeting her eyes. "That's good." Amelia looks just a slight bit surprised at that. Which I guess I understand. But this doesn't mean that I'm understanding or accepting of her behaviour. Especially considering she wasn't alone in the car. 

But if the police already knows who's at fault, there's simply no point in adding alcohol to the mix. I feel like it'd make her spiral worse and have the opposite effect. Besides, looking at her face, I can clearly tell no one is more disappointed in her than herself.

I don't need to add to that weight and make it worse.

"I'm sorry.." she starts again but I cut her off with a shake of my head, Amelia biting her lip again. She looks so scared. I put my hand on her cheek again to ease some of that fear and smile faintly when she presses her face into my palm, seeking the comfort from my touch.

"I don't need you to be sorry. I need you to be honest," I say, swallowing thickly. 

Amelia nods and then scooches to one side of the bed, wincing as she moves. I'm quick to help her and she pats the free space next to her once she's settled in comfortably. 

I look towards the curtains for a second, wondering if it's really proper to fully climb into a trauma bay bed with her, but she just pulls on my hand.

"I need you to hold me while I tell you everything because if you don't, I'll be too scared of you walking away from this mess," she says with the rawest vulnerability I've ever seen from her.

I don't need to be asked twice this time, getting comfortable next to her and wrapping my arms around her small frame as best as I can without hurting her. 

"I love you and I'm here for you, you know that. I'm not leaving just because you've made some poor choices," I try to reassure her, pressing my lips to the side of her head.

Amelia nods with a shuddering breath and then tells me everything. Every drink, every moment of her relapse, every thought and feeling she's fought against and lost. 

We're both crying by the time she's done. 

_____

Thank you for your kindness and patience everyone. I'd rather write when I actually have something to say and not push out chapters just for the sake of getting it done. So it will be a slow process but I hope you still enjoy it.