Surviving the Harrison Boys (Re-write)

three // hanna harrison

The bright lights of the hospital nearly blinded me when I had finally woken up. I felt like I had been sleeping for an eternity.

Once my eyes had adjusted to the harsh fluorescent lights, they travelled to a pretty woman sitting in the chair closest to my bed. Her honey blonde hair was pulled into a bun, and her cream cardigan was pulled around her tightly. She had a book in her hands, The Thief Lord.

"Hi," I managed to muster out. Her head snapped up and a wave of relief washed over her face as she closed her book and got up from the chair, kneeling down beside my bed and stroking my hair gently.

"Hi, sweetheart." She smiled. "How are you?"

"Okay, I guess." I shrugged. "Who are you?"

"Hanna Harrison," she stuck out her hand and I shook it, "I'm a family friend. I was called by Child & Family Services to come and get you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Get me?"

Hanna nodded. "The police found out that where you're living isn't a safe environment for you to be in, and I'm kinda your go-to person if anything were to happen to you, so here I am."

"Do we have to leave Rochester?" I asked and Hanna nodded again with a frown.

"Apparently, I'm supposed to get you as far away from them as possible." She shrugged. "I had planned on getting a place to stay here so the two of us could live together, but I guess we're going to have to go to Dallas."

"Dallas?!"

"Dallas," she repeated.

"As in Dallas, Texas?" I asked and Hanna nodded.

I took a deep breath. I would be leaving Rochester with a total stranger. I would be leaving Rochester. I would be leaving Joel and Marie and Tate. I didn't want to leave them. I didn't want to leave here.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I asked.

"Four days." She told me. "The doctors put you into a medically induced coma to make sure you healed properly, or didn't try to escape."

I nodded and ran my hands over my face, trying to comprehend what the hell was going on. So many things were being thrown at me all at once and my head hurt trying to process the information.

"I know this is hard, Hunter." Hanna whispered. "I do, but things will be okay. You're going to be safe with me, my husband, and my boys."

I nodded and sucked in a sharp breath. "Okay, okay. I'm okay. When do we leave?"

"Whenever you're discharged." She said.

"Can I see Joel?"

She gave me a warm smile. "Of course. What a lovely boy he is. I'll go get him."

Hanna squeezed my hands before getting up and leaving the room. I looked up at the ceiling and just stared at it, attempting to rest my mind and relax my thoughts. I wasn't happy about this move at all. I knew my wish was answered and I was so fucking happy, but I didn't think I'd have to move to another state in order for it to happen.

The door creaked open and Joel walked in. His eyes were red and puffy, and the tip of his nose was tinted pink. I frowned as he walked over to my bedside and sat down where Hanna had been sitting. He started crying. "Hunter..."

"Don't cry." I shook my head. "I'm going to be okay. We're all going to be okay."

He took a breath. "But do you realize how much I'm going to miss you?"

That's when I started crying as well. Joel was my best friend, my brother, my everything, basically. It never really occurred to me how much it'd hurt when I had to leave him.

"I'm going to miss you, too." I whispered and he leaned down, giving me a hug. I buried my face into the crook of his neck and gripped his shirt tightly. I could feel my tears soaking his shirt, but I'm sure he didn't care.

"You call me all the time, you understand?" He asked. "And I will be by your side in a flash if some douchebag tries to break your heart."

I laughed at the last part. "I'm a big girl, Joel. I can take care of myself."

"I know," he sighed, "just...be safe, okay? Don't...don't do anything stupid."

"I promise." I nodded and Joel gave me a small squeeze before pulling away. His eyes were sad, but nevertheless held a glint of excitement in them. I couldn't help but smile and give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for everything." I whispered.

"No need." Joel smiled down at me. He gave me one last look before getting up and leaving. I felt my heart pang in my chest and frowned. I missed him already.

Marie and Tate came in, and we said our goodbyes as well. Marie was an absolute mess, but it seemed like Tate had shed more tears than she did.

Once they had left, Hanna came in with a doctor. The doctor examined me, gave Hanna a prescription for some medicine for the pain, and then he left.

"I've already signed your discharge papers and everything." Hanna nodded. "Ready to go, sweetheart?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, sure."

Hanna helped me out of bed. I slipped on my shoes and stood up, brushing myself off. I was taller than Hanna, not by too much, but by quite a bit at the same time. I wasn't tall myself though, being seventeen and only standing at 5'3.

"So," Hanna began as we left the hospital, "tell me about yourself. What do you like to do? Hobbies? Pet peeves? Favourite food?"

"I like writing." I said quietly and Hanna's eyes lit up.

"Really? Oh, that's amazing!" She clapped her hands together. "My son is an English major, so I'm sure you and him will get along very well."

"Don't you have more kids?" I asked.

Hanna nodded and grinned like she had won an award. "Thirteen boys."

"Thirteen?" I repeated.

"Mhm," she continued to smile, "Brant, Dean, Trent, Reece, Xavier, Luca, Blake and Cody, PJ, Jack and Jake, Flynn, and Charlie."

"Jesus," I muttered, "that's a lot of names to remember."

Hanna winked. "You'll get 'em down soon enough."

"Hope so." I mumbled as we approached a black jeep. I climbed in the passenger's while Hanna got in the driver's seat. She put the keys into the ignition and pulled out of the hospital parking lot.

"CFS got all of your clothes and other belongings." Hanna explained. I nodded and quietly stared out the window. I could feel her eyes on me every now and then, but I didn't bother looking back at her.

Hanna seemed like a nice woman and all, and I was incredibly grateful that she was taking me to her home to basically start over, but she -- and the rest of her clan -- would take some time getting used to. I honestly wasn't good with new people.

"Hunter?"

"Yes?" I turned to her.

Hanna put a hand on my knee and gave it a small squeeze. "Everything's going to be all right. I understand how scary this is for you, but I guarantee that Texas is going to be a lot of fun for you. I will be there for you whenever you need me and if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

I nodded. "Thank you, Hanna. Really."

"No worries, honey. No worries."