A Series Of Letters {Adopted by Palaye Royale}

Chapter Nine

***trigger warning****

I was in the hospital for two weeks. I had major head trauma and needed to go through massive neurology treatments. I had to learn to walk all over again. I would fall alot. The first time I walked to Emerson successfully without help, he cried. I'm in Los Angeles with the boys now. In the two weeks I was at ECMC and Women and Children's, they had a speed house and vehicle check. Court was moved up and the boys were granted temporary custody of me for "a minor's safety".  We go back to court in three weeks for permanent legal custody. The boys have none of my records. They barely have any background on me, besides what I told them. I don't know any of my medical information; Mom would never take me to the doctor. They scare me anyway.

I look down at my feet and the bubbles that cover them. I'm currently taking a nice, calming bath; and since the head injury it's the first one where Stephanie doesn't have to sit in the room. I had the curtain drawn, but she had to sit there and talk to me to make sure I didn't loose consciousness. But now I'm all good. I hum along to the music as I rinse the shampoo from my hair. It's so nice, and peaceful. I sigh in contentment and grab the conditioner. 

But then, there's a loud crash. I shoot up, water splashing out onto the tile floor. Roughly pulling back the curtain, I pull the plug and hop up. Sets of feet go running, and then there's yelling, screaming. People calling for help. People yelling in general. Oh my God. I start to cry. Quickly, I dry myself off as minimal as possible and pull a shirt and boxers on. I throw the door open.

Stephanie's there. She's breathing heavy with tears in her eyes, but she grabs me by the shoulders before I can start running. "Adult things, honey. Just wait here,"

"What's happening?" Tears start to fall. "Why are there sirens?"

"Emerson's a little bit hurt. It's okay, Remington and Sebastian are with him. The police and ambulance are coming just to see him and check him out." I can tell from the look in her eyes there's more. He's more than 'a little bit' hurt. It's not 'okay'. I try to break away from her, but she has a grip like steel. My heart starts pounding, and my breathing speeds up. "Sit down, it's okay. He's alright, I've just gotta keep you in here. Adult things, he's okay."

Sebastian rushes into the room as I hear rushing and bustling and people talking and yelling medical terms I can't understand. "They're taking him to Cedars-Siani. Remington's in the ambulance," Sebastian takes one look at me and opens his arms up. I run to him and hug him tight, sobbing and breathing erratically onto his chest. He lifts me up and holds me close as we start down the stairs and straight for the door. 

"You drive, I've got her." Sebastian says, tossing keys at Stephanie. He jogs down the last few steps and outside to the van. Tears pour out of my eyes and onto him like a waterfall. Sebastian climbs into the backseat and, with me still attached to him, buckles up. As soon as he's strapped in, he lets out a breath and I can physically feel some of the tension leave his body. His hands start to rub patterns on my back. Stephanie starts to drive the agonizing thirty-five minutes to Cedars-Siani Hospital.

"S-Sebastian?" I ask, sniffling. He kisses the top of my head. "Is－Is Emmy gonna be okay?"

"He's seeing s-some of the best doctors there is, sweetheart." His voice is uneven. He's on the verge of tears, and I know the only reason he's keeping his composure is because I'm here. 

"What happened to him?" I ask, starting to sob once more. He rubs my back.

"You see," Sebastian sighs. "Sometimes, when people get really really sad, they try to bring themselves to a place where they don't hurt anymore. Emerson tried to stop hurting. I know, it's a hard concept to explain. Basically, when someone hurts alot－emotionally, usually－they'll hurt themselves with different things to try and leave Earth."

I break down even harder. Emerson tried to leave. Oh no. "He－He was hurting?" Sebastian sighs.

"Apparently. We didn't know,"

"I love him," I sob, digging my head into Sebastian's chest as his arms lock behind my back.

"I know, Lottie. And the doctors are gonna do everything they can to keep him here."

Sebastian continues to hold me close and rub my back. I apologize for sobbing all over him and his clothes, but he brushes me off each time. "It's okay, shh," He says, holding me close. 

The radio is on, but it's drowned out by the natural noise of Los Angeles. "Go faster," I whimper as we get stuck in traffic and a pain pings through my chest. 

"We're going as fast as we can, Lottie. J-Just breathe." I break down again as my body jumps. Sebastian hands me his phone and I pair of earbuds. I tuck them in and blast the music of Pierce The Veil into my ears. I need to breathe. I need to calm down. There's nothing I can do right now. 

"Just keep breathing," Sebastian says and kisses my head. "It's all okay."