For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

41 | Can't Feel It

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The broken girl sits on her bed, the usually warm blanket freezing her skin. Her eyes are glazed over as she stares down at her hands; her mind is unable to move. Her stiff muscles are more than enough to keep her stationary as noise floats into her room from the streets of New Orleans.

Stella does not look up when the door to her room opens. Nor does she acknowledge her parents standing in the threshold. They have done this a few times: watched her but never approached.

She has no more tears left to cry. Her heart feels hollow, cold. Her skin has lost its natural glow and warmth, but Stella does not care.

The only sounds she hears are the last words of her first love: I'm sorry...I will always love you.

She can only smell the smoke and ash and blood. The taste of death still lingers on her tongue. The ghost of blood still stains her fingertips.

But she does not care.

Some words break through the block on Stella's mind. She can hear her parents walk in. She can hear them talking. She can feel their concern.

But she does not care.

"Carter's father is taking her body back today."

Stella blinks but does not acknowledge her mother's gentle voice. Even the smallest movement causes pain to shoot through her body. If she could, she would lie down and close her eyes for as long as she can, but her wrapped leg prevents her from adjusting anything.

"Can we do anything?"

She wishes her brother would leave it alone. She wishes they would all leave her alone. But they are Hales; no one is left alone to grieve.

"You have to give her time. It will fade."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knows her father is right. But all she can fathom is the pain of a torn heart and a broken soul. How can she go on knowing the only reason the human was mixed in with the supernaturals was her? How could she go on not knowing why?

Her phone rings beside her. It goes to voicemail.

Footsteps fail to draw Stella's attention. Her father turns the phone off completely. He sighs and looks back at his wife. "Tell Klaus and Hope not today."

Stella imagines her mother nodding before the door clicks shut. The thought makes her mind dizzy.

The bed groans as Derek sits before her, his eyes on her leg. He gently removes the bandage securing her thigh while hissing through his teeth. Without another word, he rewraps her leg tightly.

She does not have the energy to wince at the amount of new pressure the bandage exerts. The feeling is welcome.

Derek sighs once more, finally letting his eyes trail up to his daughter's face. She sees him flinch out of the corner of her eye. "It doesn't feel like it will get better," he whispers. His voice cracks as he speaks. "Only time can heal. Even then, it may never heal completely."

Stella stays silent.

"Soon, the anger will consume you. you will hate everyone and everything around you. Every little noise or spark of happiness will enrage you. Remember to fight it."

She remains silent.

Derek takes her hands in his, tugging her forward.

Stella snaps her head up. Her neck cracks, her body moaning in pain. No sound escapes her lips as she welcomes the foreign sensation of moving muscles. She looks deep into his green eyes, yet she cannot see.