In a world of just in time

Chapter 16

Damon's POV

We have been sitting in one of the waiting area at the hospital for nearly three hours now. We haven't been able to speak to Elena's doctor yet so I have no idea what is happening to her. But I am going to take no news as good news right now. The image of her lifeless body is burned in my mind and I know it is an image that will forever haunt me. She was so pale and in pain and I could see she had given up. After all these years she had reached her breaking point. And when I held her I could barely feel her. There was no weight to her body, as if she had already left this earth. I just pray she will come back. Surely if the doctors or nurses or whatever haven't come to tell us that Elena is dead she must be alive. They wouldn't leave you waiting for what feels like a life time just to tell you the person you are waiting for is no longer there. That you are waiting for someone who has already gone. That if you stay you will be waiting forever because they are never coming back.

"Damon do you want to go home? You have been through a lot today, you need rest and we will come back tomorrow." My mother says sweetly as she kneels down in front of me like when you are talking to a young child. I know she's just trying to look out for me so try my best to stay calm and not take my pent up emotions out on her. "I have to stay here mum. Please understand." At this point I am not just begging her to let me stay here but I am also begging myself too. As much as I want to go home and rest I need to be here for Elena.

She sighs in defeat as she backs away from me, "Okay sweetie."

I close my eyes, trying to focus on anything but today. There's too much to think about and I don't even know where to begin.

I close my eyes for a few seconds before I am being shaken. I open my eyes, which at this point is hard to do but I find it a lot easier when I see a police officer standing next to my mother, who is the one shaking me. I look around slightly disorientated at first to see the clock. It's 10 minutes to midnight! But it didn't even feel like I fell asleep.

I stand up next to my mother. Both of us facing the officer. I guess my father went home because I don't see him around. "Damon we would like you to come to the station on Sunday the latest to give your statement on today's events." The officer says. I nod my head. He hands his card over to my mother. This officer doesn't look like the others I have seen. He's wearing his own suit rather than the uniform the others wear and he looks older. Maybe early 50s. "Who are you?" I question. "I am detective Raylon. I am now investigating this particular case but I will require you to be completely forthcoming with all information you have." He says sternly as he places his hands in his trouser pockets. "Sure." I answer crossing my arms over. "I will let your mother explain to you what is happening, I will be seeing you soon." And with those final words he walks away.

As soon as he's past the corner and is no longer in sight I turn to my mother waiting for her to explain what is happening. But she clearly isn't taking the hint. She's staring at the direction where detective Raylon had walked away. "So what's happening?" She stays silent. "Please." I say. We are all tired. I just need to know what is happening.

She sits down and gestures at me to it next to her. I do but I don't lean back, rather I sit sideways facing her. "Elena is alive." As soon as the words escape her lips I let out a deep breath I didn't even know I was holding in. Immediately the knot in my stomach loosens a little allowing my body to almost function as it did before. She senses my relief and gives a weak smile. "She'll get better."

"It's bad isn't it?" I run my hands through my hair, which is a struggle, it's pretty much all knotted together.

"Yes." I don't want to ask anymore questions about Elena's condition. I don't think I can handle it right now. She's alive and it now being looked after. That is what matters. Not the past but the present. One day this will just be a memory and will be able to move on from it.

"Given the situation there is a lot to think about." My mother starts, "Elena has no living relatives other than her father, so she has no one. No one to care for her and as she is a child in normal circumstances she would go into foster care. But after much discussion with the police and your father, we have become her foster parents." I'm a little taken back by that. "You're her foster parent?" I ask.

"Yes. She needs someone to care for her. She needs a home so I am offering ours. Plus she has a lot of healing to do so with my medical background I may be able to help and you will also be there for her. I know you need to be. It will be hard but we will find a way though this. Elena is part of our family now. Her and the little one." She smiles at her last sentence. An actual smile.

"The baby?" Did it really survive? My mother holds my hand. "Is alive. As far as the doctors can tell it is okay. Amazingly I might add. The doctors said that she has defensive wounds where she protected her stomach, her baby." Even when Elena was at her worst she protected our baby.

"So can we go see her? When can she come home? Does she know about us and..." I begin asking as I stand but my mother pulls me by my hand to sit back down. "She's asleep right now and we will come back tomorrow to see her. I know you want to see her but she needs to rest and probably some space."

"Yeah. Okay." I say. I want to see her but there is no use arguing. We all need our rest and I will be able to sleep well knowing Elena is here and safe. Plus I will be no use to her like this. "We will come back tomorrow?" I ask as we stand and slowly walk away from the waiting area. "Of course. We also have a lot to discuss tomorrow. A lot will be changing."

She's right a lot will be changing. My parents are now responsible for Elena, to care for her and they will treat her as their own. Elena will also be living with us. I will be living with the girl I knocked up, that I am not dating and should blame me for getting hurt.

All this thinking about how my life is going to change and I haven't even thought about Elena. I don't know what she's been through. Will she ever be the same? Can she ever become the person she would have been without the abuse? Will she want to have the baby? After everything she needs someone caring for her and loving her not to be caring for someone else.

I am 17, near 18. She's 17. How are we going to cope and be able to live and not be forever haunted by the past?

There are so many questions but very very few answers.

Once we are seated in the car I look over to my mother, "I am sorry mum, I have made a lot of mistakes in a very short time." I do feel bad. My parents are being forced to look after someone else, Elena, who will need a lot of help and they have a screw up son. Who so far has only proven to be selfish.

"Don't feel bad for yourself Damon, self pity isn't going to help in this situation. You don't need to be sorry but for the time being you need to think about someone else before yourself. I know it will be hard but we are in this together. Do you understand?" My mother doesn't look at me while she speaks, I know she's trying to help and I guess you can say is giving me tough love.

"I understand." I answer. She starts the car and we drive home.

As of tomorrow I will have to change. No longer act like a child but an adult, a parent I guess.

Thinking about being a parent makes me think that Elena may not want to keep the baby, again. But she had defensive wounds, she must love it. It's my job to reassure her that we can do this together and make everything as easy as possible for her in the coming months. I need to make her feel safe and most importantly love.

If she feels loved her will feel stronger and will be able to heal. And I do love her, at least I think I do. So from tomorrow I have to let her know and show her everyday.

I can't begin to imagine how she feels. Just from witnessing the events of today I feel numb. Not numb as I don't feel anything but numb as in I feel so much it's all blurred together and I don't know if I will be able to feel anything else. I know that doesn't make sense but that's how I feel.