Save Her (Daniel Howell)

Chapter 18; Welcome Home, Honey

P. O. V. Bailey

It was happening. It was actually happening.

I stood just inside the hospital's main corridor, waiting on my dad to pull the car around. I was beyond excited, only moments away from taking my first steps into the outside in six months.

Dad pulled up in the car, and I looked at mom with a smile. She smiled back "Are you ready?"

I nodded eagerly. We stepped outside and I felt the cool breeze of London rush against my face. I took a deep breathe, and then looked over at mom who was staring at me with worried eyes.

I laughed, "Mom, I'm fine. Really."

She smiled, and we climbed into the car. Mom took the passenger seat, and I sat in the back. Dad looked at me through the mirror and smiled. I smiled back, and then looked out the window.

"Bailey, honey, your father and I have planned a whole bunch of family activities starting tomorrow, but if you get two overwhelmed you just say something, ok? We will understand." Mom said, smiling nervously.

"Ok mom. But really, I'm okay. I know how to handle myself now." I said, smiling at her.

We drove home in silence, and I couldn't wait to get back and spend much needed time shopping with the girls. Of course I was missing spending time with Dana and Phil too, but Phil visited me quite a bit in the hospital, so I was pretty up to date with his life.

We arrived at the apartment complex, and to my surprise, found Phil, Louise, Hazel, Zoe, and Shawna standing outside holding balloons, and a flower crown. I smiled as mom looked at me with a mixed expression of excitement and fear.

I rush out of the car as soon as dad put it in park, hugging Shawna first. "You guys! What is all this?"

Louise held out a flower crown to me. "Well, Phil told us yesterday that you were being released from hospital so we had to throw you a 'Welcome Home' party!"

I placed the rainbow rose flower crown on my head, and Shawna beamed a smile at me. "We didn't want to overwhelm you though, and Louise is very anti-surprise, so a few of us waited outside for you!"

"Wait...a few of you? How many people did you invite?" I said, and Zoe looked at me with fear in her eyes.

"Um, not many people. Just Alfie, Joe, Casper, Cat, Markiplier, JackSepticEye, Thomas Sanders, Tomska, PJ, Chris, Tyler Oakley, Conner Franta, Lilly Singh, Colleen, and Matpat & Stephanie from Game Theory. You've met everybody at least once! And when word got out that you were having a party some people asked if they could come for support." Zoe said nervously.

It was true, either on outings with the girls, or with Dan and Phil, we would often meet up with other YouTubers that were in town. I smiled, a little nervous, but I had met or watched every person she mentioned so, I was kind of excited.

"Okay Zoe, it no big deal. I guess I better go make my entrance." I said, locking arms with Phil. But before we could make our way inside, I turned to my parents.

"Why don't you guys go enjoy a stress free evening?" I told them, grinning.

Mom hesitated. "What? Are you sure you don't want us to be there with you...just in case?"

I let go of Phil, and walked over to her. I grabbed my moms hands, and smiled. "Mom, I'll be okay. You don't have to worry anymore. I've got plenty of friends here to look out for me, but they don't need too. And after the party, we can have some hot coco and watch tv, just as a family."

Mom sighed, defeated, but relaxed. "I suppose we should let you celebrate with your friends. You wouldn't want us old beans crashing the party."

I hugged her tightly, and then returned to Phil, looping our arms together and walking inside, the girls trailing ahead of us.

"Did he come?" I whispered to Phil, knowing full well he knew who I was referring too.

Phil frowned. "No. He said you guys had an okay talk, but he just wanted to stay out of the way of your recovery. He did still blames himself, I think, for you becoming dependent on him."

I sighed, "I guess I can't force him to change his mind. But I hope maybe he'll see the light soon enough."

Phil nodded, and we entered my apartment. Music and colorful neon lights filled the living room, and many of my acquaintances and friends danced, talked, and laughed. When everyone noticed I walked in, they all turned to me.

"Welcome home, Bailey!" They all shouted in unison. I thanked everyone, and then was suddenly pulled away from Phil by Thomas, who gave me the biggest, and warmest hug I'd ever received in my life.

I laughed, and danced, and talked with everyone as I made my way around the room trying to be a good Woman of the Hour. A few hours later, I had a contact list full of new friends, and I felt even better about myself then I had in years.

After another hour cleaning up, it was around 9pm when my parents came home. Phil and I sat on the sofa watching Buffy, in the spotless apartment. Mom smiled seeming me as she came inside.

"Did you have fun?" Dad asked.

"Oh yea, it was great! I made so many new friends. I was a little nervous at first because I'd only met some of these people a few times but, now, I have so many new numbers in my phone! Almost makes me want to become a YouTube myself." I said with a laugh.

"Maybe one day you will, sweetie." Mom said, sitting next to me on the sofa.

"Well, I better get home. Dan is probably destroying the apartment because he's been left alone for so long. And I do not want to spend another hour cleaning." Phil said laughing, before hugging me and leaving.

Suddenly my phone buzzed, and I picked it up. It was a text from Shawna.

From: Shawna-Bean ;)
Message: Hey girlie! I leave town tomorrow night, are you free for a sleepover!?

I looked up at mom with a smile, and she yawned. "Shawna wants to come back over for a sleepover before she leaves."

Mom nodded. "That's fine love. I'm gonna hit the hay, I'm beat."

Mom went upstairs, and I texted Shawna back, telling her we were all set. Within 10 minutes there was a knock at the door. I opened it, finding the girls dressed in their pjs with thee sleeping bags.

"We may have been waiting in the car outside." Hazel said, causing me to laugh.

I let them inside, and the sleep over began as usual. Only this time, I was a little- okay a lot- less shy. I was still awkward, but I had accepted that part of my personality while in the hospital.

At the stroke of midnight, we were all wide awake, and playing Truth Bombs, that board game Dan and Phil created, (Phil had given it to me earlier that day as a welcome home present,) when there was a knock at the door. I have a raised eyebrow look to Zoe who shrugged.

I got up, and answered the door, find a tired looking Dan on the other side. I couldn't help my mouth falling open in surprise. I snapped myself out of shock, and smiled at him.

"Hey, Dan."

Dan looked at me, and looked at the girls behind me as they laughed at each other, not noticing him.

"Oh, I see your busy. I, um,-"

"Dan! What are you doing here so late?" Louise asked, excited.

His eyes shifted from me, to Louise, and then back to me. "I-I'll just go."

"No, hey, what do you want to talk about?" I said, trying to reach out for him, but he backed away.

"Really, I'll just go." He said, and he was gone, quickly rushing down the complex stairs in the blink of an eye.