A Coincidence||Fionn Whitehead

81

Fionn  left Dotty watching some YouTube videos in bed and went downstairs to see if everyone had arrived yet. In the living room, Harry, Jack, Tom, Barry and Shona sat talking quietly so that Dotty would not be able to hear them from upstairs. The group greeted Fionn just as Emma let Tom H, Aneurin and Cillian into the house who also greeted everyone.

For a while Fionn stayed downstairs with them talking and explaining how Dotty was feeling that day when Harry asked him: "and how are you?"

"I'm fine," Fionn replied.

"But are you really, mate? This is clearly taking a toll on you too," said Aneurin, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's hard but I'm okay and I— nah it's nothing."

"No, go on," said Barry.

"I'm coping."

"Coping? Fionn, mate, truthfully do you need a break? No one will blame you."

Fionn sighed nodding his head shamefully, "but so does Chris and Emma, we're all struggling and the only thing keeping us going is each other. Dotty is just getting worse and worse and we keep telling her that she will be okay but we really don't know anymore."

Harry put his arms around Fionn, holding him close. The room fell silent, they noticed it from Emma's face when she opened the door and Fionn before them. They all looked exhausted and of course, it was certainly not Dotty's fault there was no way she could be to blame because she can't control what is happening.

"Mate—"

"I'm going to get get her."

Fionn rushed out of the room leaving his friends feeling so much empathy for him. He hated showing his emotions like that and he felt horrible admitting that he couldn't cope with Dotty when it was not her fault. She was trying her best but it just wasn't enough.

"It's so much worse than we thought," said Shona quietly, gripping Barry's hand tightly.

"So much more," agreed Cillian.

They could hear the footsteps on the stairs and Fionn talking. "Are you ready for the surprise?" He asked.

"Is it better than Leonardo DiCaprio?" They could hear Dotty ask, her voice low and nothing like what they remembered.

"Way better, Dot."

Fionn pushes open the door with his foot as he set Dotty on her feet and supported her around her waist. The look on her face when she saw everyone was enough to bring back some hope to Fionn. Her eyes sparkled once again and a genuine smile rose on her lips.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, edging forward as fast as she could but Harry stopped her by jumping up and encasing her in a warm hug where she was.

"Hiya, beautiful," he said, running his fingers through her long blonde hair, "how are you?"

"I'm feeling better now," responded Dotty, her voice still quiet.

Everyone hugged her gently being careful not to hurt her it was as if she was a china doll- she was so fragile. Dotty then sat on the sofa on Fionn's lap, playing with his fingers as everyone spoke.

"Only two more months and then it's the premier, that's crazy!" Exclaimed Cillian, a bright smile on his face, "it doesn't seem possible. I know I have been in plenty of shows and films but this by far is the most excited I've been for a premier!"

"Even more than Peaky Blinders?"

"Yeah, Jack Mate, that's been bumped to number two!"

"I'll tell everyone you said that," smirked Tom H.

Dotty yawned and pressed further into Fionn. "You alright, love?" Asked Fionn quietly, adjusting the girl's position in his lap. His voice was quiet enough for nobody else to hear except Tom who sat beside them pair and sent them a worried look.

Dotty nodded her head smiling happily and poking Tom in the leg. Tom jutted away from the girl and playfully poked her back, not as hard as he would usually have done. The girl giggled which made everyone look at her.

Catching Jack's eye, Dotty raised her clenched fist to her lips and blow through it. Jack groaned, "aye, missy!" He exclaimed leaning down, having been "shot" by a "poison dart".

"She's still got it!" Guffawed Aneurin who "shot" Barry.

Dotty smirked wiggling her hips just a little bit. Fionn buried his head in her back, a yawn escaping his lips but thankfully it went unnoticed by everyone. He didn't want to dampen the mood by being tired despite his broken sleep really wanting to be made light of.

Cillian flocked Aneurin's ear and Harry did the same to Jack. "Oi, Tom, be nice and let the poor girl up!" Said Harry nodding towards Dotty who was slumped over.

"Who shot Stripey?" Asked Tom reaching over about to touch her ear. Everyone shook their heads and Fionn sat up properly. He glanced at Tom who climbed off of the sofa and crouched in front of Dotty.

"Dotty, darling, are you alright?" He asked her brushing her hair out of her face whilst Fionn held onto her.

Dotty didn't move so Tom carefully pushed her body up so that she was sat up. He held onto her whilst Fionn shimmied our from beneath her. The room fell silent and a shared facial expression rose on everyone's faces.

"Dot?" Fionn asked, placing his fingers just under her has to check for a pulse, Tom leaned his ear close to her lips to see if she was breathing.

"Nothing," He muttered and Fionn agreed, "somebody call a bloody ambulance."

"Emma! Emma!" Fionn bellowed lowing Dotty onto the sofa so that she was laid down.

A loud hang of a door slamming shut from upstairs was heard and Emma's thundering footsteps on the stairs followed suit. She burst into the room and took one look at her daughter, glanced over at Harry who was calling the ambulance and she already knew.

"Dotty, come on, darling," Tom said, "please."

"Is anyone first aid trained?" Harry quizzed still on the phone.

Everyone shook their heads except for Shona. "I am," she said.

Harry replied, "can you do chest compressions?" She nodded her head. "Do them."

Tom moved out of the way of Dotty but Fionn stayed by her side. Shona began to press down on Dotty's chest with force. She did it in intervals whilst Harry remained on the phone.

The ambulance arrived ten minutes later and took over, leading Dotty into the van and Emma with her. Harry rushed Fionn out to his car, Jack and Tom joining them. They followed after the ambulance whilst everyone else remained at the house like Emma asked.

It was all a waiting game now.