To Protect Each Other ~ A Haleb Story

It Wasn't Her Fault

It was a week after Hanna woke up from her coma. They had just made their way back to Hanna's house and Ashley was at work.

"How does it feel to be home?" Caleb asked.

"Shit." She said, plainly. Hanna still had her bandages around her wrists but they were half the size of the ones she had in hospital.

"Why?" Caleb put all Hanna's bags in the kitchen.

"My mum is literally suffocating me." She said.

"That's what you said when I put that GPS tracker on your car." He reminded her.

"True. But that was different. She's constantly asking me if I'm okay and it's the same answer every time."

"She means well."

"I know. But if I'm gonna get better then I need at least a bit of independence." She looked up at Caleb.

"Independence. That's a big word for Hanna." Caleb laughed.

"Shut up!" She laughed along.

"Come here." He he held her hand and cupped her cheek.

"What?" She asked. She could see in his eyes that he was serious.

"You need to promise me that if you feel like you're gonna hurt yourself again that you'll tell me. Or your mum." He told her.

"I'd rather tell you than my mum." She replied.

"Then tell me. Hanna when you were in the hospital it made me realise how much I need you. And if I lost you I don't know what I'd do. Actually I do know. I would have either murdered your dad or Alison." He said.

"Ali's changed Caleb, it wasn't her fault." Hanna walked away from Caleb to the fridge.

"Maybe not entirely. But I still blame her." He said, knowing that she wouldn't take that well.

"Caleb, I told you. It's not her fault! Please just don't do anything!" She raised her voice.

"Han, I was only gonna do something if I lost you." Hanna looked back at Caleb. She had a huge tub of chocolate ice cream in her hands.

"Want some?" She smiled.

"Obviously." Caleb replied.

●●

Hanna and Caleb were both cuddling on the sofa watching Cinderella. They had all the blankets and duvets on them and they'd shared the entire tub of ice cream and a whole bag of crisps. Caleb was clearly bored out of his mind.

"Do we have to watch this?" He moaned.

"You said you wanted to spend time with me." She giggled slightly. Caleb noticed how Hanna was rubbing her wrist.

"You okay?" He pulled her hand away.

"It hurts that's all. Did you pick up my prescription?"

"Yeah it's in the cabinet. Do you want me to get it?"

"I don't need any." She said.

"Hanna if your in pain then yeah, you do." She got up and walked to the bathroom.

"Where are going?" He asked, confused.

"To pee." She snapped.

Caleb continued to watch Cinderella. He didn't really mind watching it if it made Hanna happy. Then she walked back in. "That was quick." She sat back down.

"I can't go in there."

"Why not." He put his arm around her. Hanna looked him dead in the eye. "Oh." He realised.

"Do you mind if I call one of the girls and ask them to come round?" Hanna asked Caleb. She hasn't seen her friends in a while. She had only FaceTimed them in the hospital. "Actually I'll just send a group text and ask them all."

Hanna made a group conversation with herself, Caleb, Emily, Spencer, Aria, Alison, Ezra and Toby.

Hey! I'm back from the hospital. Caleb's kind of getting on my nerves so I could use some company Xx - Han.

She immediately got a reply.

Good to know my company's shit but whatever... - Caleb.

"Sorry." She laughed slightly.

He laughed back. "Don't worry about it." They both got some more messages.

Hahaha! Hey Han! I'm actually with Ali, Spence and Aria right now so we can come right now if you'd like? - Emily.
Read by Caleb Rivers.

"You're not actually gonna let Alison come here?" He started to get protective.

"Caleb! If you don't like it, you can go. I've told you anyway, it wasn't Ali's fault." She argued back.

"There is no way I'm leaving you in the same room as her! Besides, she was the one that made you feel shit about yourself for years and then when she came back it all started again. Hanna I hate the way she's made you feel. What she's made you do. She might not be saying it to your face this time but I know you. I know that you're thinking about what she said all those years ago and it's just as bad. If she didn't say any of it no matter how long ago it was, you wouldn't be in this position." Caleb said. Hanna couldn't be mad at him for what he just said because he was right. But deep down, Hanna knew Alison had changed.

"I get it Caleb. And your right. But I know for a fact that Ali has changed so please just give her a chance." She begged.

"Fine. But only because you want me to." He said, hesitantly.

"Thanks babe. Love youuuuu.' She walked over to him and have him a huge sloppy kiss. Hanna could be very persuasive at times. And so could Caleb, for that matter. That's probably why they always ended up doing stupid things together.

●●

Half an hour later...

The door bell rang.

"That must be them." Caleb and Hanna were cuddling on the sofa watching whatever they could find. "Promise me you wont say anything." She got up and looked at him.

"I'll only say something if she does." He hated idea of Alison coming round.

"And she won't so thank you." Hanna walked over to the door and opened it. Emily, Aria, Alison, Spencer and Toby were all stood there.

"Hey!" They all said in harmony.

"Come in!"