Alone Together {Patrick Stump}

Chapeter 20

I was shaken awake the following morning by Pete, who'd obviously let himself in when he'd gotten here.

"Hey, Ly," he whispered once I was awake. I jumped up, hugging him tightly, which caused Patrick to grumble about being woken up.

"I missed you," I whispered. "I meant to call you while I was at Andy's."

"It's okay," he whispered back. "Andy said you didn't talk much while you were over there."

"How did you get in?" Patrick asked. "I didn't hear the doorbell."

"It's still pretty early, and I assumed you were asleep, so I let myself in," he replied as we separated.

"Well, I'm glad you made it," Patrick said. "We need to talk about Lyra. With her. She has some things to tell you."

"And by the look on her face, she has something else on her mind too," Pete said with a small frown.

"I should start with this," I said. I took a deep breath. "Last night, after Patrick fell asleep, I took some pills."

"Lyra, what did you take and how many did you take?" Pete asked, semi calmly. Patrick look worried and angry with himself. I went into the kitchen and got the bottle I'd used last night. I took it back to the lounge and tossed it at Pete.

"I took five," I said, slightly ashamed. "I couldn't help it. It said to take two for my age, but that wasn't going to satisfy my thoughts, so I took five. If I'd been with anyone else or still at the orphanage, I would have taken the whole bottle. I don't think it did anything, though."

"Pain killers," Pete said. "No, that wouldn't do much, but it'll do enough. Patrick, you'll have to keep a close eye on her today. If anything changes, you're to take her straight to the hospital." Patrick nodded. "Now, what did you need to tell me?" We sat on the couch.

"I'm being pushed back to how I was before I'd met Patrick," I explained. "It started before we had that fight on Tuesday, but I ignored it. On Wednesday was when I really started to notice how bad it was getting. Wednesday morning, I smudged my eyeliner. I hadn't done that one time since I'd moved in with Patrick. Thursday, I was going to call or text you, but I didn't. I started pushing people away, hardly speaking to anyone. I cried. A lot. Mostly in the shower so no one could hear me. I wanted to commit several times while I was there, but I stopped myself. I'm going back, and I don't want to, but I can't make it stop. I want it to stop, Pete. Please, help make it stop." I looked at him desperately with tears in my eyes. He didn't say anything for a few, long moments.

"We'll help you, if that's what you want," he said, finally.

"Of course it's what I want!" I yelled, jumping up. "I don't see how anyone would want to live like this! You didn't want to! You should understand!" I sank back onto the couch in tears.

"I do understand," he said softly. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have put it that way." I choked. I couldn't stop crying. I felt I couldn't breathe. I was having a panic attack. I hadn't had one in months.

"P- P- pan-" I managed to get out. They looked at me, worry and concern etched on their faces. I was breathing heavily. I saw understanding dawn on Patrick's face.

"Panic attack," he said. I simply nodded, as I couldn't speak. He jumped up off the couch. "I'll get warm tea. Pete, just hold her. That always worked with you. Hold her and don't let go. I'll be back as soon as I have a cup of tea for her. Pete wrapped his arms around me tightly, whispering to me, while I continued to cry and struggle with breathing. When Patrick came back with a cup of tea, I felt the world go dark.

~ Patrick ~

I came back into the lounge to find Pete still holding Lyra tight. As soon as I got back, though, she started shaking violently.

"Oh my god!" Pete yelled. I dropped the cup and rushed over. I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

"911, what is your emergency?" the female operator asked.

"Um, my daughter," I said. "She's fourteen. She was having a panic attack a few minutes ago and then she just started shaking violently. Wh- What do I d- do?"

"Sir, is it just the two of you?" she asked.

"N-No," I replied. "My friend is over. We were talking with her and she started to have a panic attack."

"Okay, sir, you're daughter is probably having a seizure, so you need to lay her on her side with a pillow or something under her head. Keep her on her side. The ambulance is on it's way," she said. "If she stops, still keep her on her side until the paramedics get to you." 

"Okay, thank you," I said. I hung up and rushed over, grabbing a pillow. "We have to lay her on the floor on her side. Put her head on the pillow. We have to keep her on her side until the paramedics get here, even if she stops." Pete nodded and we got her in position. 

A few minutes later, the ambulance got here. Pete jumped up to open the door while I stayed with Lyra, keeping her on her side. They came and loaded her into the ambulance. She had stopped shaking, but they still had to take her to the hospital. We spent too much in that place. Pete and I got to ride in the ambulance with her to the hospital. When we arrived, Dr. Kence was on duty and she met us with a confused face.

"This is one of my patients," she told the paramedics. "What happened?"

"According to the what we were told, she had a seizure," one of the paramedics said. Another doctor took Lyra into the E.R. and Dr. Kence came out to meet us and bring us inside.

"She- She had a p-panic attack," I said, still in shock. "It was just a little p-panic attack. And then she was shaking violently. I-I don't know what happened. Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine," she said. "If she was having a panic attack, it explains it. A lot of teenagers have seizures when having a panic attack. It isn't uncommon. We'll just have to make sure there wasn't any damage to her brain. If there is no damage, she can go home after she wakes up and calms down. We'll give her some water and she'll be good to go."

"It's that simple?" Pete spoke up. "Just like that? She can go home? She doesn't have to stay for a few days? Not even a few hours?"

"As soon as we deem she's healthy, she can go," she said. "I'll take you to the waiting room and then I'll join Lyra." We both nodded and she took us inside and to the waiting room that was all too familiar.

"I'll call Joe," Pete said.

"I'll call Andy," I said. "They should know. They'll want to be here."

While Lyra was still having tests run, Andy and Joe showed up. Joe was here first because he had apparently been getting in the car as soon as Pete said Lyra had a seizure. Andy wasn't far behind him. They came and we waited. We waited what felt like forever before Lyra was put in and E.R. bed until she woke up. We sat with her and waited. We waited. And waited. Finally, she woke up. A nurse brought her a glass of water, which she had to drink all of before we could leave. Then Andy drove Lyra, Pete, and I back to my house. Joe was satisfied, so he went home. Andy dropped us off and then left, Pete shortly behind him. I hugged Lyra to my side as we watched Pete reluctantly drive off. I brought her inside and we headed for the stairs before she stopped.

"Can we stay in the lounge all day?" she asked. "I don't to be alone." I nodded. We sat in the lounge and watched movies all day, eating popcorn, pizza, and snacks. By 10:30, Lyra was fast asleep with her head on my lap. I pulled the blanket up farther over her and turned off the TV before going to sleep myself. I was glad she was okay.