Adopted by Heathers Cast

I'm Going Home, And That, Sir, Is That!

It was around 1 in the morning. I woke up and saw Elle fast asleep in a sofa bed in the corner. Jessica was asleep on a chair, and Ryan was somehow sound asleep on the floor. I looked down at the IV in my arm, and my other arm had scabs and Band-Aids from previous hospital trips.

What kid has so many IV scabs? Me. Me with my rotten luck. What kid has been to the hospital more than she's been in her own house? What kid has to worry about her own mother not being there for a medical procedure, and her aunt and her brother and her sister are all on understudy duty?

What kid should get the opportunity of a lifetime, a good home, only to almost lose her aunt and sister?

I couldn't take it anymore. I needed some stability. Violet would not leave me alone, and the only way she would was if I got out of here. She was the one who told me to run away. I knew my family would be worried sick, but I didn't really care. Violet said "they don't love you" and I kind of believed it.

Elle, Jess, Alice, Barrett, Katie, Evan, Ryan, Jon, I love you.

I grabbed my hospital bag and my blanket and ripped the IV out of my arm. I quickly grabbed a Band-Aid and put it on my arm, then ran out of the hospital.

There were cars passing by, it was pretty busy. I pulled on my hair and started to run for dear life. I stopped for a second, thinking to myself, Where am I going?

I couldn't survive on the streets. Not in New York City. It was too risky. I could get kidnapped or murdered. Then it hit me.

I'm just gonna run to one of my family member's apartments and hide there for a while. Deep down inside me, I wanted them to find me. But another part of me wanted to be alone. If they find me, they'll send me back to the hospital, the last place I wanted to be.

I looked at my phone, and realized I had everyone's addresses saved in there. I sat down at a park bench and scrolled through the document where I kept everyone's information in case of emergency. To me, this was an emergency.

I decided to run to Barrett's apartment. Run, and I didn't stop. I was so out of breath, but I didn't care. I pulled out the bobby pin I kept in my hair and picked the lock. It worked! I ran in the apartment and hid in a closet, locking myself in.

There was no way people were finding me. Not for a long time. Which scared me. I missed Elle, but the last place I wanted to be was back at the hospital. But with my condition, it's inevitable.

I started to cry a little. I was scared, and I was worried Elle would be mad when she realized I was gone.

Not gone. Just misplaced.

I hoped. I hoped they didn't forget about me.

________
Elle's POV

I woke up on the sofa bed in Cat's hospital room. But something seemed off. It was awfully quiet. It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust to the bright hospital lights, but when they did, I immediately sprang up and shook Jessica awake.

"Elle...it's too early..." Jessica whined, rolling back over and closing her eyes. I kept shaking her and she said, "What..." through half closed eyes.

"Jess...have you seen Cat anywhere?" I asked. Jessica shot awake and looked around. Ryan sat up too and said, "What's going on?"

"Where's Sunshine?" Ryan asked once he realized what was going on. "Elle, call everyone else. I'll go check the bathrooms and stuff."

Fifteen minutes later, me, Jessica, Alice, Barrett, Evan, Jon, Katie, and Ryan were gathered in the hospital room, and we were all a mess of panic. Katie was the only sane person in the entire room, and she was keeping us in line. But she was crying too.

"Why do I feel like this is my fault?" Katie asked me.

"Katie Ladner, I swear to God, stop blaming yourself!" I said. "This is my fault. I'm her mother."

"It's nobody's fault! Not even Cat's! The poor girl probably just got anxious. You know how she is. She'll come back by tonight, knowing her." Jessica said.

I sighed, and looked around for any of Cat's stuff. She took it all with her, even her phone. I started to sob.

"Don't worry, Elle! We'll find her. You know how much she loves you." Alice said.

Ryan ran in, out of breath, and said, "I checked everywhere."

"She could've just gone to one of her friend's houses. Like Axel or Red or Astrid. Maybe she even went home. We never know. She could not have gone far." Katie said.

"This is Cat we're talking about. When she's anxious, her adrenaline is high. She can run, and I mean run. Maybe she went to school? Today is Tuesday, after all." Evan said.

"School is probably the last place she wants to be right now." I said. Alice lit up and ran out of the hospital room, I think it was to look for Cat.

"You're right. But, we just have to have a bit of hope. Keep her sunshine with us." Evan said. Evan had tears in his eyes. I hugged him and he said, "I can't lose my baby sister."

"You're not gonna lose your baby sister." Barrett said, almost in a mocking tone. I shook it off, we were all in a weird place right now. Evan started to sob.

"How long has it been? Since I met her?" I asked, counting on my fingers. "Seven...it's been seven months. I've known her for seven months."

"It feels like forever." Katie said. "I can not imagine my life without her."

"Does anyone remember anything that happened before we met Catlynn?" Jessica asked, laughing a little. We all shook our heads and I said, "The earliest thing I remember was running out of the theater to grab Cat's phone. That's how I saved her life."

Alice ran in out of breath and the mood was lost. "I looked everywhere. Her friend's houses, her school, her apartment. Even the theater."

We all stared at each other, then it hit us.

"Guys...I think Sunshine is gone." I said.

AN: I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But don't blame it on me. This was Pantherclaw02648 's idea, so yeah. Hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!