Start of Something New

Chapter 20: Aftermath

Chapter 20
A beeping sound woke her.  Candace's eyes felt heavy as she pried them open. She was greeted with white walls and a pain in her side. She was in a hospital room. She felt her side and felt the thick bandages wrapped around her torso. "What..." she looked around the room and saw Jeremy sleeping in a chair at the end of her bed. His hair was messy and he had tear stains on his cheeks. 
"Jeremy?" Her throat felt dry and she coughed and winced at the pain it caused in her wound.
Jeremy shot up and panicked. "What! No don't-'' he stopped as his eyes found hers. "Candace! Oh my gosh babe you're awake" he rides to her side gripping her hand. "I was so worried. Why did you jump in front of me?! That was reckless and stupid!" She frowned and he composed himself. Sorry I was just so worried. She made a motion for water and he called for the nurse. A minute later a brunette woman walked in "good you're awake from a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is your pain right now?" "I don't know, probably like an 8 or 9" she said in a painful response. "Alright I'll put in an order to give you some painkillers. Do you feel any pain when you breathe? Or any other symptoms like a headache, dizziness back or abdominal pain?" "Umm... no i don't think so I'm just really thirsty." "Okay good well let me know if you start to have any of those symptoms and I'll come back with water for you." The nurse said as she left the room.

Jeremy sighed heavily once the nurse was out of sight "Jeremy... I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay I'm just glad you're okay" he leaned down to kiss her chapped lips. "Ugh I'm gonna have a scar it's gonna be so ugly" she said, frowning. Jeremy shook his head. "So what? You're beautiful. Scar or not. Plus I think scars are pretty cool." Candace smiled as the nurse can't back with water and painkillers. She chugged it and took the pills and sighed. "Much better"
"By the way you have visitors" The nurse said and Candace gasped when she saw her favorite four people walk in. "Mom! Dad! Phineas and ferb!" "Oh my baby!" Her mom said, rushing over to her to plant kisses on her face. "Mom mom I'm okay" "okay?! Candace you were stabbed by a lunatic. You could've died". Lawrence said worriedly. "Yeah...I didnt think Jason could do such a thing. Why did he stab you?" Phineas asked and Jeremy cleared his throat causing the family to finally notice his presence. "Oh...hello who are you?"  Linda asked politely. "I'm Jeremy Candaces..."
He looked at Candace as if for confirmation he could tell them. "He's my boyfriend" she confirmed and he relaxed. "Oh..nice to meet you Jeremy" Lawrence said. "Although I wish it were better circumstances." "I agree sir. But I must confess I am partly responsible for Candace's condition." "What do you mean?" Phineas asked, narrowing his eyes. "Well I didn't stab her obviously but He was aiming for me and..well Candace being so selfless jumped in front of me." The family looked over at Candace. "What?! Candace how could you do something so stupid?!" "Yeah yeah I already got the lecture" She said, rolling her eyes. "Well...at least you're alright. And what happened to Jason and the girl?" "They ran before the ambulance and police came. But I'm sure they'll be caught soon." "Wow...some first year huh Candace?" Ferb says, trying to lighten the mood. "Yes...yes it is"

3 weeks later.
Candace was recovering nicely. She was released from the hospital 2 weeks prior and had gotten those weeks off from class although she still had her work brought to her so she wouldn't fall behind. Jeremy hadn't left her side neither had Vanessa or Stacy. It's like they worked in shifts so she was never alone. Candace couldn't sleep most nights. She was plagued with nightmares of Jason and getting stabbed over and over again. She would jolt awake sweating with tears streaming down her face. Usually Vanessa was there to calm her down but they wouldn't stop. She couldn't tell Jeremy she didn't want to worry him.

Jason and Kate did eventually get caught a few days after the event. They caught him at the airport trying to go back to Danville. He was now serving 8-10 years of jail time and Kate got probation and house arrest for being an accessory to attempted murder.

Candace was finishing up studying when she saw Vanessa come out of the bathroom dressed in a cute black dress her hair was in a high ponytail and she was applying lip gloss. "You look cute. Where were you going?" "Oh Just a party at the Gamma house" Candace frowned. It seemed like forever since she's been to a party since she's been recovering. But she felt better now..atleast physically..
"Cool I'll come too" She said getting up from the bed." "Are you sure? I mean you're still injured. Won't it be to much?"
Candace scoffed. "I'm fine Vanessa I can go to a party I just won't go crazy with the dance moves" she chuckled and Vanessa smiled hesitantly. "Okay...if you're sure"
Candace got dressed and sent Jeremy a text letting him know she was going with Vanessa. He had a late study group so she didn't plan on seeing him tonight.
She threw on a knee length blue dress and some flats and a jean jacket over it. "Ready"

They arrived at the frat house around 8pm. "Just let me know if it's too much or if you're in pain and want to leave, '' Vanessa said as they approached the loud house. "Don't be such a worry  Nessa I'll be okay" Vanessa nodded. "If you say so.."
It was an hour into the party when Candace felt her phone ringing in her back pocket she took it out and noticed it was Jeremy calling. She went outside to the backyard and answered it. "Hello?"
"Hey babe I got your text. You're at a party? Why?" Candace rolled her eyes. "Why not?"
"Hey I'm just looking out for you. Are you recovered enough for a party?" "Why are you and Vanessa making such a big deal out of this I just want to have some fun! I'm tired of being in my dorm all day. It's been almost a month, let me live!" With that she hung up and went to the kitchen bar to get a drink. She got a bottled drink and chugged it. She was gonna have fun and forget. Forget about Jason and Kate and forget about the nightmares.
Her phone rang in her pocket once more but she ignored it. She was fine.
Meanwhile... a few hours passed by since Candace decided to stop answering her phone or even look at her phone. She loved this feeling. It felt good not having a single thought in her head. At this moment. She felt free for the first time since everything that happened with Jason and Kate.
Stacy signed in annoyance as Candace once again was laughing for literally no reason anything that anyone would do was hilarious to her. "So how much longer do you think she'll last before passing out?" Coltrane asked Stacy as they watched Candace laughing uncontrollably.
"I'll give it about 1 more hour if she keeps drinking at the rate she's going..."
Candace danced to the music with her eyes closed just enjoying the feeling that was flowing through her. She felt like she was on a boat the way everything was spinning and swaying. She bumped into a hard chest and opened her eyes to see the deep blues of her boyfriend. "Jeremy!" She yelled, throwing her arms around him. "Cadence are you drunk?" He grabbed into her arms to keep her steady. "What??!!! Pfffttttt nooooo!!" She said followed by more giggles. "Okay I'm taking you home." She pouted and he threw his arm around her waist and made sure her arm was around his shoulder. "Party pooper" she grumbled.
"Yeah yeah yeah" he brought her to his dorm and layed her on the bed. "Why is the room spinning?" Candace giggled. Jeremy shook his head. He understood it had been a while since she drank but this was a bit too much. "Candace"
"Jeremy" She said back before giggling again. Suddenly her face changed and she looked like she was about to be sick. She got up and ran to his bathroom but she couldn't make it to the toilet and threw up in his sink. "Oh God" he said, going to help her. She was crying now he helped her move to the toilet and held back her hair as she threw up again.
20 minutes later after she had a shower she laid in his bed in his shirt snuggled into his shoulder and passed out. She was snoring lightly and Jeremy shook his head. "What am I gonna do with you?" He kissed her forehead and fell asleep.