4.16 Hurt

Caution: Alot of awful photo-editing.

Very violent. Probably more than is acceptable for PG.

Kaity couldn't sleep. She didn't want to. Sleeping would be admitting to herself that this wasn't a dream, that this really happened. She didn't understand how things could go from perfect to this so quickly. She kept telling herself it was just a vision, but the cuts on her cheek and stomach proved otherwise.

She'd pretended she was asleep when a babies cries sounded over the baby monitor, she couldn't bear to move. Winter must've known, but he'd got up anyway as she'd laid, listening to his soft cooing through the monitor. The memories of the day plaguing her mind and bringing tears once again.

***

Shaena returned home after seeing Alex. Without the baby. Kaity had been worried at first, until Shaena explained she'd not taken Joshua today, she'd gone with other intentions. She looked shaken, but happy for the first time in years.

"What's up?" She'd asked, hoping, praying that she was right.

"I ended it with Alex. For good." Shaena forced a smile, and a tear escaped her eye as Kaity threw her arms around her in a tight hug, jumping around, pulling her off the floor and spinning her. This was the best day of her life, bar two - her kids' births.

 "I knew you could do it. I knew you'd see in the end!"
She couldn't help but gush with happiness. Everything was so right. She had three perfect children, two best friends, one of whom had finally listened to her, and Winter was here.

She'd invited Bonnie and her daughter, Elise, over to celebrate and meet Winter, and the alcohol had flowed freely. They ended up infront of the TV in the late evening after the children were all sleeping.

 Shaena was drunk. Awfully so. She looked like she might either throw up or break down crying at any moment. Bonnie, unaffected by alcohol due to being a vampire, was gently teasing her about it. Being careful what she said due to the sensitive day their friend had just had. And Kaity just wanted to go upstairs.

His gentle touch on her upper thighs sent chills up and down her body. She'd forgotton just how cold he was, and how good that felt.

Shaena kept attempting to comment on either the TV show or Kaity's state, even though compared to her, Kaity seemed sober. Her words didn't really make it out, they just came out as a slurred jumble, making Bonnie laugh at her even more.

Bonnie wouldn't let up. Her mother had died a little under a week ago, and she'd been a bit down, but she was really on form that night, everything she said made the others giggle or laugh hysterically. Until the doorbell went.
"That'll be the pizza!" She'd chirped, jumping up. "I'll get it, guys. There's no way Shae can stand, and if you tried to get up, Kait, I think your panties would be round your ankles."
She'd left the room laughing as much as the others at her own joke.

Winter had said something about how he hadn't thought vampires ate, and Kaity had explained to him that Bonnie got no benefit from food, she just liked the taste.
Then, a scream.

Kaity and Winter immediately jumped up, and Shaena attempted to herself, but fell back into the seat. Kaity beat Winter to the doorway.

All she could remember, was the fear. She'd never been so scared in her life. She couldn't even react as Alex drew the knife and attacked her. She felt the blade go in deep, and was glad she'd already given birth. He twisted it a little and she couldn't even scream, couldn't even breathe.

And then Winter was there.

He kicked Alex out the way, Alex's flailing arm let the knife catch her cheek as he fell.

She wasn't even sure what Winter did, but a cold air filled the room, and purple sparks flew from his hands, pushing Alex out the door, dragging him out to the porch and bouncing his head off the steps as he was pulled to the ground.

She remembered feeling faint, and weak. So weak. As darkness clouded her vision, all she could see was Bonnie.

She wasn't moving.

***

"It should have been me." She whispered to herself. She couldn't even get tears to form anymore. She didn't want to remember any more, but her mind wouldn't let up.

***

The next thing she could remember was waking up in the hospital. She was confused when Winter was there, and nobody else. She attempted to sit up, but he grabbed her hand, stopping her. She stubbornly propped herself up on her elbows, and felt the painful tug of the stitches in her stomach.

"Bonnie?" She asked, her voice was weak and raspy. Winter sighed, and rested a comforting hand on her arm. He didn't have to say a word. She was gone.

She forced herself to sit up, gritting her teeth through the pain. Winter let her. Tears poured down her cheeks, stinging the cut on her face, and great gasping sobs rocked her body. Winter waited, offering a comforting hand on the small of her back.

"What about the children?" She'd managed to breathe out after a few minutes. She felt sick at the thought of where Alex might be, and didn't want to think about that.

"Shaena rang someone called Taylor-"

"My mummy." Kaity nodded, she'd interrupted him, but only to introduce him to her mother.

"She came and took Alex, then called Madison, who I'm gathering is Shaena's mother. She took the babies, including Elise. The twins insisted on coming here with me."

Fresh tears fell as Kaity realised her two little girls had seen all the blood in the entryway. 

"Where's Shae? She's not gone to Alex, has she?" She felt sick just thinking about him, and didn't think she'd survive hearing Shaena had gone to him.

"No. She rode the ambulance with you while I waited with the kids. She's in the waiting area with the twins. We didn't want them to see you like this, and she'd just left your side so I could sit here, when you came to."

Kaity swung her legs over the side of the bed.

"You can't get up, Kaity. You'll pull your stitches."

"Cover for me." She stood, shakily. It really hurt a lot, but she wouldn't admit that.

"You just had surgery! Stay here and I'll get-"

"Cover for me." She snapped as she walked shakily to the waiting room.

Her daughters shell-shocked faces hit her as hard as Shaena's relieved sobs when she saw her.

"Mummy..." Sophie started, she had no words. Nobody did.

"I'm ok, baby." She was crying again. She wasn't sure she'd stopped. She crouched low, ignoring the pain, and pulled her girls into a tight hug. "I'm sorry you had to see that. You never should have seen that, you should never see anything like that. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." She felt the twins join her as they shook with tears too.

"It will be ok." Jaydean had said as the hug ended, wiping her own tears before her sisters and then her mothers. It only served to make Kaity cry more. Her two baby girls had seen more than anyone should ever see, before they'd even started school, but they were strong. They wouldn't let this taint whatever memories they had of Bonnie, and she wouldn't either.

"I'm so glad you're ok." Was all Shaena could say as they threw their arms around each other. They held each other for a few minutes, just crying, until Winter had pulled her back to the cubicle for a doctor.

***

She was sobbing loudly now. Each vibration tugging at her stitches, reminding her this was real. She was gone and she wasn't coming back.

Winter finished with the baby, and returned to her side. He gently turned her around before wrapping his arms around her.

She could do this. She could move on. If Winter was going to be here, she could be happy again. Not now, not for a while, but it could happen.

I wrote this chapter listening to Johnny Cash if anyone wanted to know. The chapter is named after the first (and best) song in that video, 'Hurt'. <3 :'(