[Okay. Cliffhanger was mean. But, I was thought it would be kind of mean to put these two parts up as one. You'll get what I mean when you read it. I'll talk again at the end so, Happy Reading! ^_^]
Keith panicked, his hands drawing immediately on the warmth in the air. He couldn't let Andrew get hold of Belinda or her mum. He just couldn't. Belinda deserved to be left out of this, to be given that small amount of peace. As he felt the charge almost giving way to full blown flames, Andrew lifted a finger to his mouth, pointing into the room. Keith approached cautiously, not letting go of the flames.
"What are you doing here? Just what the hell is goin-"
He broke off sharply as he saw what was going on in the room. Belinda was facing away from him but he could see the woman sitting up in the bed, stroking Belinda's head. Keith forgot all about Andrew - only for a moment - as he felt that rush of gratitude at Belinda finally getting something back. Finally someone up there was paying attention to her. Keith let the feeling settle in before turning back to Andrew and ruining it.
"That doesn't tell me crap all about you being here. Now just what the hell is going on? I swear to God Andrew, don't even try to do anything to Belinda."
"Oh? And you're going to stop me, are you? Now, now, Keith! You wouldn't want me to take that dare seriously, would you? Because you know how I love a challenge. And that bitch deserves what she's got coming to her."
Keith started towards Andrew, rage burning in his eyes. Andrew watched calmly for a second before clicking his fingers and then he disappeared. Keith looked around wildly, hoping someone else had seen Andrew there but the hallway was deserted. Not even a nurse was in sight. Keith relaxed a little until he heard Belinda screaming her lungs out.
Even as he entered the room he knew Andrew wasn't in there. This was a different type of screaming to what she had screamed last time. But she was definitely scared of something. Looking at her he could see exactly what it was. He rushed forward, trying to shield Belinda from what was happening.
Lizzie was jerking about in the bed, her whole body moving for apparently no reason. Her eyes were rolling back, her hands knotting in the sheets and thrashing epileptically. Keith kept calling for a nurse but, as he had just seen, nobody had been out there. All he could do was hold Belinda as she sobbed and cried, begging somebody, anybody to stop it, whatever 'it' was.
Lizzie finally lay still but it was an absolute stillness. Keith swallowed back the vomit that was trying to make it's way out - Belinda needed him. He had barely known the woman on the bed but Belinda had been raised by her. Belinda had relied on that tiny hope that her mother would be there, unconditionally loving her from the sidelines. Some part of her had probably expected her to wake up one day and come home. And now...
Finally, a nurse came hurtling into the room, took one look at the body on the bed and ordered Keith and Belinda out, calling for help as she started to attempt artificial respiration. As Keith dragged Belinda out, orderlies and doctors rushed in, shouting things that made no sense. Belinda was clinging so desperately to Keith, crying and burying herself in his arms, saying that it was time to wake up - that she had to wake up.
"Oh Belinda, oh God, I'm so sorry. Oh Belinda..." Keith just kept repeating it, as though it could protect her somehow. He pressed his lips to her head, rocking her in his arms and holding her just as tightly as she was holding him. He wished there was something else he could say, anything to ease the pain she must be feeling. He imagined what it would be like to lose his mother and he held her even more tightly.
Slowly, Belinda's sobbing subsided to silent crying. The tears just didn't seem to stop but she tried to stop making those horribly depressing sounds. Her hands fell from Keith's back, arms exhausted. His didn't loosen and Belinda was grateful. She needed to be held, needed someone to be there now that her mum wasn't. She held back the crushing feeling that threatened to consume her and closed her eyes as she leaned into his chest.
Keith felt the weight of her, the tenderness with which she held him back. He had no clue what to do, no idea what could save her from this. All he could do was hold her and try to share her pain. He wasn't sure it would even be enough, wasn't sure she would be able to get over this. He hated that she was suffering so much, for something that wasn't her fault. She didn't deserve this and it was killing him that he didn't know what to do to protect her from Andrew.
He felt as she fell asleep, exhausted by everything on top of having a full day at school. He supported her, lifting her into his arms and cradling her against his chest. He let her rest on his lap as they waited for a doctor to come and tell them the bad news. He wished he could let her sleep through what the doctor was going to tell her but he knew she needed to know for sure. She would need the confirmation.
[Okay, it was mean what happened to her but! Not everyone can have a happy ending. I know, mean of me for doing that to her RIGHT AFTER SHE WOKE UP. But I'll explain it eventually, I swear. Eep! I'm a little afraid to put up the next part...]
