Lifeline (Daniel Ricciardo)

Chapter 56: Impulse

So I'm sure you can sense that we're very nearly almost at the end of this story, Lifeline has already received 150 more votes than Connections and that's really what I set out to achieve- as well as writing something completely different. So, thank you so much and please keep voting (I'd really love to hit that 2K mark).

On another note, I've published the first chapter of 'Connected' - yes, it follows on from 'Connections'...please go and check it out:)

Thank you so much for reading, all of you!

Hey Karin,

Hope you're okay, totally get why you didn't come back with Dan but just to let you know he's home safely as the dick left his phone at his house. Feel free to get him via mum and dad's house number. Must say I'm really worried about him, and I've never seen him look so tired. Just jet-lag I think even though it's a bloody nice surprise to see him. Weird but nice.

See ya later

Jess. Xxx

He's home. Just jet-lag, I think. Left his phone at home. Nice surprise to see him. Weird, but nice.

The words felt like an ice shower raining down on me and a stinging sensation was left not only in my eyes, but all over my body. It was evidently too little too late.

I really didn't know what to do next and being very close to fully losing it, I dialled Australia. I had no idea what I was going to say, but I wanted to hear it in person that Daniel was okay.

"G'day! How are you?" Jess chirped after picking up immediately. It was late at night over there and winter, as Daniel kept on informing me. "Haven't spoken to you properly in ages. This is bad, I'm a bad person...I'm sorry, just been busy with work and-"

"Jess, is Dan alright?" I croaked, my stomach churning.

"He's gone straight to bed after suddenly turning up in a taxi. But he seems...okay." It wasn't like Jess to pause with her speech, so that automatically nerved me.

"He didn't say anything?" I pondered, my heart thudding. "Why he was there, or?"

"Uh...nah. Should he have said something? Shame you aren't here, we need a proper catch up." Jess was confused and I was a step closer to losing all of my sanity. "Karin...are you okay?"

"No, no I'm not okay." I squeaked. I couldn't hold it together much longer. "Evan's in a coma and I don't know what to do now that Dan has gone out of the blue without telling me. I just woke up and he wasn't there. It's all my fault..."

"Wait, what?!" Jess gasped. "What the fuck! Did I just hear right?"

I tried to pull myself together, gulping so my voice would come out clearer. "I didn't tell him about my parents, and I didn't tell him about Evan. It's clicked and he's gone home...I can't blame him."

Jess wasn't fully listening though, I could hear stomping, followed by a lot of shouting.

"Daniel!" she cried, "Daniel, get the fuck up now you lazy shit! What the actual fuck have you done?!"

"Jess, leave him be." I whispered. God knows what was running through his head. "Please."

Unfortunately, Jess wasn't listening and I could only presume that she'd left her phone on the side whilst talking to her younger brother.

"Daniel, this is crazy!" she continued. I could hear doors slamming. "You shouldn't be over here, and you know that!"

"Jessica, will you just leave me alone? Fucking hell! Don't need you making things shitter than what they already are." And that was Daniel. I had never heard him shout like this before. In fact, I'd never heard him sound so angry. Devastated. But furious. "I don't want to talk to anyone right now, so if you could leave me alone now before I blow. Completely."