I Dare You || Reneé Rapp

I Wish You Could

A/N Just a quick thing before you read on, some wonderful person pointed out a slight plot hole that I've gone back and changed to make more sense, feel free to reread that little bit of the chapeter. All that happend was that first chapter was bits and pieces taken out of different unfinished books and I'd forgotten to change it so it fit this narritive, Marley can discharge herself from the hospital the hospital just informed her parents of what had happened, she's 22!

I paced for a good twenty minutes in that alleyway until realising that, honestly, standing in nothing more than a hospital gown in biting temperatures is probably not a very good look to everybody else, and I probably definitely look like I belong in a psych ward right now.

“Shit.”

Okay, plan of action: First, get out of this god aweful gown and try at least act normal. Second: Get as far away from this hospital as possible and dodge every blonde-hair, blue-eyed stranger I come across no matter how desperately I want to accidentally bump in to her again. I was far from ready to answer any questions I undoubtedly left that poor girl with and I could not go back to that house.

That sounds like a good, well thought out plan. I can do this.

“Excuse me miss?” fuck.

I felt a hesitant tug on my hospital attire and looked around for the culprit, of both the small voice and the tug.

“Marley?” Cooper.

“Coop?” My voice was covered in confusion, “What are you doing here?” I turned my attention down to the little boy standing before me, his beautiful emerald eyes staring just as confused back at me.

“I- I heard Ma and Pa talking in the kitchen, said they'd found you and that you were at the hospital,” He looked shyly at his feet, his raven hair falling in front of his eyes and a scared lilt in his voice, “I didn't want them to find you before me.” The boy looked up at me again with a slight quiver in his lip, his eyes glassy. The sadness in his eyes being more than any kid his age should have.

I sigh softly and place a hand on his shoulder, crouching down so I'm eye level with him, “Look kid, I appreciate you looking for me but you shouldn't have come. You're safer with them.”

A tear falls down his cheek, “But I'm not, Lee! They- they shout at me and call me names!”

“Oh buddy…” And then he broke.

The single tear turned in to a river of pain, his body slouched over in to mine heavily and his body wracked with sobs. I held him tight, a hand behind his head trying to soothe him by stroking his hair gently. I just let him cry it out.

His parents didn't deserve this poor kid, I'd been placed in his family throught the foster system and I had quickly come to learn that getting on their bad side was not an option. I'd learnt that the hard way and I pray every day that he doesn't experience the same.
A lot of the time I would take the brunt of everything so he wouldn't have to, I love him like a little brother and I'd protect him just the same. That's the only reason I'd stuck around for as long as I did.

“Hey, hey. Listen to me, Coop.” I take his head in my hands and pull him back from where he settled himself in my arms, “You're going to be okay. You hear me? You're so strong my love. They haven't hurt you have they?”

Cooper shook his head lightly, “No.”

“Cooper, you have to tell me if they do okay? You have my number, you call me if they ever touch you, you got it?” He looked at me a little bit afraid, not quite sure of what I was asking of him, “If your Ma or your Pa ever make you hurt, you call me like I showed you and I will come get you. I need to know you understand.”

I watch as he wipes his reddened eyes, seemingly breathing deeply and composing himself before nodding strongly and collapsing back in my arms.

“I wish I could stay with you forever. I hate it there.” He mumbled almost incoherently, though just loud enough for me to catch it.

“I know kid, I wish you could too.”

-

Eventually, after a few minutes of running a hand through his hair and humming quietly, his sniffling ceased and his breathing steadied, the quiet signs of a tired child, “Come on kid, let's get you home.”

I stood carefully with the boy still in my arms, finding it slightly harder with how mentally and physically drained that panic attack made me feel and began walking the few blocks it took to get to his home. As much as I didn't want to be anywhere near that place Cooper was my little brother and I'd be damned if I let him get hurt.

The walk was excutiatingly long, the added dead weight of a 9 year old probably not helping my already tired bones. I always awed at how easy it was for this kid to sleep through anything, no matter how loud the house got when he'd been sent to bed he would always still be asleep.

It's better that way, he can still live with some of his childish naivety. Something I never got.

I rounded the corner on the block Cooper lived on and stopped just out of sight, stooping down with the boy still in my arms and shook him awake lightly, "We're here buddy, I can't walk you all the way but I can still make sure you're safe."

He stretched tiredly and looked around him, his eyes widening in realisation, "You can't be here!"

"Hey, you don't worry about me okay. I'm a big kid now, you just worry about you." I pulled him in to a tight hug, a silent tear slipped down my cheek, I knew I didn't owe them anything anymore. I knew that as soon as I turnes 18 I had every right to make a life for myself, but I couldn't leave Cooper. He'd have only been 4 and no 4 year old should be put in a place like that, I'd aged out of the system sure but I had to be there to take the brunt of the damage that was that family.

"They still say you owe them everything, Lee." Cooper mumbled, pulling back. "That's why they won't leave you alone, I hear them talking."

"I don't owe them a thing, Coop. And neither do you. Just remember what I told you to do, I'll be there." I cupped his little cheek and gave one last ruffle to his hair before sending him off home.

Come hell or high waters, if anybody touched that kid they'd know about it.

------
A/N

silly little break in chapter, getting to know the character and meeting lil baby Coop, doesn'tfeel nearly as long enough but I'm trying to write shorter chapter so I can get more out quicker and not face burnout as fast.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, honestly I'm excited with the direction this fic is going and i can't wait to keep writing.