Four Letter Word..

Chapter Twenty Six

Pre warning this is a bit of a long chapter! 

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"Hello? Are you ok? Can you hear me?" I opened my eyes to see a woman above me "Thank god... I thought we'd lost you" she spoke "You need to stay still. The emergency services are on the way ok sweetie?" I realised then, that the Car wasn't the right way up and neither was I. I started to panic "Woah, woah relax" I could hear sirens wailing in the background
"Where's Billy?" I asked as she grabbed my bloody hand "He's right beside you, just don't turn to look" I bit my lip
"Is he alive?" I asked anxiously and she nodded

"He's breathing sweetie" she told me "I'm Joyce Byers" I parted my lips
"Johnathan's Mom?" she nodded at me as Chief Hopper approached with a medic "Hopper?" I questioned "Hey Kid.. What have you gotten yourself into this time?" I started to cry "We're gonna get you out" Hopper told me. A medic came in and started questioning me about where I was hurting and stuff before finally removing me from the Camaro. I looked back once I was stretchered out. I couldn't see Billy anywhere, was he even in the Car. If you could even call it a Car anymore.

Joyce stayed with me in the ambulance and throughout the assessment when I arrived at hospital. I was moved to a ward "Would you like me to call anyone for you? Maybe your Mother?" Joyce asked me as she stood at the end of the bed "No, I'd like to see Billy" Joyce pouted
"I don't think so Sweetie" I narrowed my eyes at her as a Doctor came in
"Miss Carter? We've had your scans back and the reason you're chest hurts so much is because you've broken two of your ribs on the right side apart from that and the few superficial cuts and bruises that's all" I nodded understanding "Unfortunately there's no quick fix so it will just be rest for you"
"Does that mean I can leave?" I asked him
"No. We'd like you to stay here for the night for observation. You've been in a nasty accident. You're extremely lucky" I swallowed "Once we're happy, we'll move you upstairs"

"Upstairs? For how long?"
"For broken ribs it can be up to three weeks" I nodded "But you're young and healthy so it could be a lot less" Joyce was smiling at me
"Are you sure you don't want me to call anyone?" she asked when the Doctor left the room again. My eyes drifted to the corridor out of the window as I saw the familiar Red hair belonging to Max and also her Mother Susan. I shoved the covers away from me and tried to get off of the bed to follow her "Max!" I shouted "Max, come back!" Joyce was soon holding my arms down to stop me from moving anywhere "What did the doctor just say?"
"I don't care what he said.. I need to know Billy is ok?"
"Look, I'm going to go and call your Mother" Joyce told me. I sighed and sat back on the bed "Good luck with that" Joyce narrowed her eyes slightly "She's in a rehabilitation centre. Please don't call her. She's getting better and I don't need her worrying about me when I'm fine"
"Is there anyone else?" I swallowed
"I'm staying with my friend and her parents" Joyce grabbed a pen and notepad from her bag as I reeled off the number for them "Ok, I'm going to go find a phone and give them a call.. If I can I'll try and find out about your friend. But please. Just stay here we don't want you doing anymore damage" I nodded at her, I was in a lot of pain still and I don't think I would be able to walk anyway.

I looked up at the ceiling and waited for Joyce to reappear, when she did she was alone "Penny is on her way" she told me as I sat myself up a bit
"And did you find out about Billy?"

"He's ok.. His leg got crushed but they managed to stop the bleeding, it's broken in two places and he also has broken ribs so you're matching" she smiled at me as she sat down on the side of the bed "He asked after you. I told him that you were ok and worrying about him as well" I bit my lip "He also said he's sorry" my lip quivered and Joyce was quick to grab the box of tissues from the table and hand me a few. I pressed them to eyes to rid the tears. Someone knocked on the door frame and we both looked over to see Chief Hopper. Joyce smiled at him and stood up as he came in "How we doing Kat?" I sniffled and wiped the last of my tears away before taking a breath "How do you think I'm doing?" I questioned him as he stood at the end of the bed
"I'm going to go outside and wait for Penny ok?" Joyce announced before walking out of the room "You're real lucky to be alive, both of you" I swallowed
"Have you seen Billy?" I voiced
"I have. He'll be fine but right now you need to worry about yourself and not Billy" I narrowed my eyes "What happened?"
"We crashed" Hopper sighed
"I know, but how did it happen? You've got to be honest with me Kid"
"Just how the crash happened?" Hopper nodded as he pulled out his notepad "We hit a wet patch and he lost control of the Car"
"How fast was he driving?" I swallowed "There's no point trying to lie either... We can do tests on the Car to find out" I licked over my lips
"I don't know exactly but too fast for the road conditions" I replied
"Was Billy angry? Did you upset him?" I blinked
"No..... I mean he was angry and maybe it was aimed towards me but.."
"What were you arguing about?"
"Just stuff..." I replied
"What kind of stuff?"
"Why does it matter?" I questioned him
"It matters because this isn't just about the crash.. It's about everything else that's been going on" I sighed "You were angry at Billy when you left California so what's changed over the last two months?" I swallowed
"I love him" Hopper didn't like the answer "He's not as bad as he seems you know?"
"Right, but he was speeding in the wet and rolled his Car. I guess that shows just how much he cares about you" I shook my head. I wanted to tell Hopper about Neil and the beatings Billy regularly received but I also didn't want to break Billy's trust or embarrass him so I bit my tongue "He does care" I stated "You don't know him"
"We're just worried about you" I shook my head
"Well you don't need to worry about me... Is Billy's Dad here?" I asked
"No. But I've spoken to him on the phone... He thinks you and Billy were planning on running again" I laughed at the suggestion
"No. I mean Billy may have started packing a bag in a flash of anger but.."
"But what?"
"I wasn't going to run again" I promised Hopper, he didn't look convinced but I didn't care right now "Can I go and see him now?" I challenged
"No"
"You can't stop me... You don't have the right?" I wasn't sure if the police did have that kind of authority "We can't but both of you need to rest for now" he stood up just as Penny and Stacey came rushing into the room, Joyce following behind. "Katrina" Penny went to hug me but I stopped her "I broke my ribs" I told her. She took my hand instead
"What happened? You're grounded. Why did you leave the house?" I looked at Stacey who looked really pale "I heard you and Neil talking about sending Billy away" she didn't react "I went to see him" Penny narrowed her eyes

"Did he do this to you?"

"No!" I interrupted "I mean... we got into a Car accident"

"And he was driving?" she asked

"Yes...Neil came home and started hitting Billy... Did you know that Penny? That his own Father beats him" Penny licked over her lips and suddenly looked saddened "We had to leave... So he drove and he was still angry and upset and it was raining and he just lost control of the car... But it wasn't his fault Penny. It was just an accident" Stacey stepped forward suddenly and hugged me lightly "It wasn't his fault... Billy wouldn't crash that Car on purpose" I smiled

"Exactly" I defended

"Have you seen him yet?" Stacey asked me. I shook my head and looked over her shoulder as Penny, Joyce and Hopper conversed "No one will let me... Apparently he's ok.." Stacey looked behind her at her Mother "Do you want me to go find him?" I smiled

"Would you?" she nodded
"So Kat are you hungry?" she suddenly asked louder than necessary "I'll go to the canteen to get you something" I realised then what she was doing
"I'm starving" she winked at me before heading out of the door. Joyce came over to me to say goodbye and then Penny came and sat on the edge of the hospital bed. She watched Hopper and Joyce leave before turning back to me and reaching a hand out to stroke my hair "I'm glad you've not done too much damage" I bit my lip "What you said about Billy's father?" she quizzed "Is it true? Because if it is that would explain a lot about why Billy acts the way he does"
"Why would I lie about something like that?... Please don't say anything to anyone Penny... He's really sensitive about it" she sighed

"We should really tell someone" I shook my head
"I would have thought you'd have been on Neil's side" she narrowed her eyes at me

"You think I'd agree with someone who hits their own child?" I shrugged "I'm sorry Katrina, I'm sorry for not trusting your judgement" I was a little surprised by her confession
"He really does care about me" she smiled weakly just as Stacey walked back in
"He's desperate to see you Kat" she announced as she came in "I told him that you're ok" I nodded at her. Penny looked back at her Daughter "Kat had a right to know how he is" Stacey informed her Mom and she sighed "I'm not mad at you... In fact I'm going to go and see him now, myself... Which room is he in?" Stacey shook her head
"As much as you don't like him Mom I really don't think you should go in there and start arguing with him. He's not in a good way"
"I'm not going to argue with him. I'm going to apologise" Stacey looked dumbfounded "I miss judged him" Penny smiled back at me and then left the room
"So? How is he?"
"He's really, really upset" I looked down at my hands
"Do you think you could find a wheel chair and-"
"No!"Stacey announced "They said you can't move yet... Not until you've been assessed again" I sat back down "Have they even bandaged you up yet?"
"Not yet" I swallowed "God, I don't think I can handle being stuck here" she rolled her eyes at me "I'll come visit as much as I can... I'll bring board games and I'll keep you updated on any gossip" I smiled
"As in you'll bring Jen with you?" she laughed
"I'll let you recover a little before we bring Jennifer into the mix" we both smiled at each other as Penny came back into the room. I looked over at her expectantly "I told him you were ok and I did ask about his Dad" I sighed "He's not mad at you for telling me but he didn't want me to go to the police about it" I nodded knowing he wouldn't "I've told him he's welcome to stay with us" me and Stacey both looked at each other "I know, I know" she said as she sat down in a plastic chair "I just figured I'm pretty good at taking in other people's children"
"Did he say yes?" I asked
"He said he'd think about it. I think I should call your parents Kat" I shook my head
"No don't. Mom's doing so well and I don't want this to back track her... Dad doesn't have to know either" she sighed
"Alright" she looked at her watch "It's getting late so we should go...I'll be back tomorrow though and if you need anything at all get someone to call me" I nodded at her as Stacey gave me a hug "I'll come by after school tomorrow" she told me "Love you"
"Love you too"