Chapter 71

Lizzie's wP.O.V."Damn, that drugs did her pretty good." Mary Kate sighs as she walk towards me looking at a sleeping Shannon on the bed beside me.

The doctor warned us that this will happen because of the anesthetic drugs they gave her to somehow numb the pain from her surgery. She said she might not remember anything when she wakes up or recognize some people or anything happening around her. Well, I figured that out since she thought Trent literally put her to bed and that is just funny as it is. It might take a while for her to recover with a sprained knee and a broken arm not to mention she cracked some ribs and a few cuts and bruises. That small scar on her forehead had extended into a far more visible one, a really visible one, which is set for them to look up to since she might've hit her head again to something and it was very concerning because of the history and that's what the MRI is for.

After being rushed to the hospital in Redway, they figured she needed further surgery and they don't have the right facilities to begin with so we have to get her in the ambulance and drive her to San Francisco for that. She's now admitted here at Saint Francis. My family arrived here yesterday when she was having surgery and they are currently staying at a hotel where her family and I are checked in since I can't stay over night with her. Chase had been towed from her location up to a workshop in LA and I've talked to Charles asking him to take care of her and just get her home when she's fixed.

The public knows something was up and just because, I ditched the Emmys two days ago since I was in a hospital and then an ambulance and to another hospital on the same day. Kathryn knows and covered up for me telling them that I was sick or something but the truth was, I was hanging on for dear life that my girlfriend comes through the surgery as smooth as possible. It was causing a buzz back home, and it is growing big because of the fanbase according to Marla and I really feel bad about it but my girlfriend is far more important than anyone. Marla and the team including Alyssa are doing everything they can to settle it down since another picture came on yesterday about my whole family being here. They were papped and the twins are really not happy about it.

"Its adorable though, how she still adores you even when she's that high and doesn't even have a clue who you are." I smiled and let out a soft chuckle. Hearing that from other people just gives proof that Shannon is the most faithful person there ever was and how lucky I am to have her, coming from the opposite one. "I wonder what will cone out of her damn mouth the next time she wakes up probably something about you having kids together that is or maybe a zombie apocalypse" I snort in laughter as she shrugs. I playfully slap her hand making her giggle and says.

"What? Its possible you know and I think he thought that Trent was her nurse or something."

"Stop it" I laughed and she joins in remembering the moment when she scolded Trent as he gets closer to her earlier just to give her a kiss on her head to not shine light into her eyes. According to her it doesn't make sense and it was really annoying.

"That was funny though." She giggles and I sighed looking back at Shannon. I'm on top of the world right now just because I can see her in front of me, breathing even though she's not looking so good right now, the important thing is she's here right now and she's safe. That's all I ever wanted and she'd be in trouble once she gets better. She really scared the hell out of me.

"When are you going back to New York?" I asked. I really appreciate them cancelling work and extending their stay with us, they're just the best, but when reality hits, they really need to go back sometime.

"A week off Lizzie means a week off. Shannon needs us, besides its because of us all of these even started right?" I can hear the guilt in her tone but I tried to not bother meanymore, because maybe a part of it really was true. Well, they could've just talked to me about it even though I guarantee I won't be a hundred percent truthful since I completely had no idea Shannon has been having those flashbacks, but still all of this might be prevented if they just confronted me about it.

"It doesn't matter. She's here and safe now." I sighed before everything went silent but I didn't mind it. I just don't want to talk about it right now because I still haven't moved on from the fact that I found my girlfriend in a beach with blood soaking her clothes. After quite sometime, she pulls on a chair from the table slides it next to me and sat on it and this made me feel a littleuneasy knowing what she will eventually want to talk about.

"Liz, I know we haven't talked about—you know, but, why? Why didn't you tell us what Robbie did to you? I just don't understand."

"I just don't want things to get heated up anymore." I whispered. "You hated Robbie just by being my boyfriend. Trent hated him too for that and knowing Trent who knows what he could have done if he founds out about it."

"Then why did you tell Shannon? we're your family." There's a hint of betrayal in her voice and a sense of guilt come rushing to me. She's right though, I should've told them first but sometimes you don't always say everything to your family.

"I didn't." I glanced at her and she looked confuse with horror in her eyes. "not until the fight Robbie and her had when we got back to New York after going out in public for the first time."

Show me

"Maybe Robbie said some things that made her ask me about it. I couldn't lie, because I've had enough of Robbie and what he started again. She asked me to just show her so I did."

"What did he do to you?" She said through gritted teeth so my head snapped at her. Her jaws were clenched and her hands curls into a fist. She's so mad that any minute now she can punch something or someone and this is the first time I've seen her so angry.

"Mary Kate I won't tell you if you won't calm down." I place a hand on her fist and run my thumb on her knuckles that are turning white already with the pressure she's putting on them. Though I really can't blame her for this, she's my sister.

"Tell me"

"Have you calmed down." She takes a deep and shaky breath and nods. I looked at her for a second beforeshe relaxes her hands and just hold mine instead.

"He, uhm— he placed his hand on my neck and his fingers squeezed on the side of my face— Mary Kate!" She stands up abruptly fuming, breathing heavily. I stopped her holding her hand in mine tightly. "It was done, it was two years ago. Even if you confront him about it, it wouldn't matter now. We've settled things."

"You could've told us Elizabeth." She snaps and I was getting annoyed.

"And what? what are you going to do? kill him—"

"I might"

"Can you stop it" I sighed and pull her down to sit back on her seat and gladly she obliged. I wouldn't want any trouble now. Robbie and I are civil and that was in the past. I might've forgave him easily for all the shitty and fucked up things he might've done which I know is the right thing to do for me to just let go, move on, start over and be happy again. "Its not worth it. That was two years ago. We don't talk anymore the last time was when Shannon was missing that's it."

"I knew it. I knew there was something off with him."

"Yea." I whispered having flashbacks from the moment he did it, the call with Shannon on the same night, the breakdown the day after that, the time I found out that he was caught cheating, the time Shannon found me on our spot and how he protected me the night Robbie barged into her house. She saved me from that, from all of that. She's the one who's always been there and would fly from across countries just for me.

"She— uhm saved me from all of it, you know." My voice cracked because as I stare at her right in front of me all broken, black and blue made me so scared. She could've died if we haven't found her on time. She really lost a lot of blood and that thought haunts me every time I think about it. "I've never been so safe in anyone's arms ever and I nearly lost her."

The first tear fell and I just let it fall. Maybe its just now, that I was able to hear her voice, see her move and her smile even with those drugs doing its work in her system just made everything sink in. How she doesn't even know who I was when she first woke up, I felt the slightest pain having to witness her in that state, and it leaves me wondering what if I was there with her right after the accident in Dallas, when she woke up with no drugs on her and still didn't knew who I was, would it be the same?  Maybe I wouldn't of handled it pretty well either way.

"She'll be alright. She's safe now. We're really sorry Lizzie. We should've known better. I was just you know, you're our baby sister maybe the instinct of protecting kicks in very hard the moment I've put up all the pieces. But somehow, we were just that wro—"

"What pieces?" I asked confused on what she said and suddenly I felt her stiffen a bit and that just made me more intrigued. "How long have you known her flashbacks are going on?" She doesn't speak and looks nervous and Mary Kate is never nervous unless she's hiding something serious.

"Mary Kate" I warned and she glances at Shannon then breathes out a shaky breath. "What are you hiding?"

"Please don't be mad."

"What is it?"

"Shannon came to mom's house before we went to your house that day we got her to a hospital—"

"What!" It was louder than it should have but I feel my blood boil up inside of me rapidly. I try to pry my hand away from her but she kept her hold on them tight.

"We were suppose to go and hang out because Court and Jake are there too but we stayed for a while and everything was normal, music playing and we're talking and laughing until Trent gave her a bottle of beer. She froze and went out, the bottle smashing to the floor causing us to stop. She was away for about ten minutes and we couldn't get her back. She said she was in a kitchen, with a smashed bottle in her hand blood dripping on it and you were there and you were scared and my first thought was she might've hurt you with that and Trent voices it out he was split second mad then Shannon said she can't do that. But she was confused right after." I couldn't believe what I was hearing, I'm literally furious right now, with them for having the thought of that and in the first place for even inviting Shannon to mom's house knowing what that place does to her every time she's there, and Shannon for being even stubborn enough to agree to that idea and not fucking tell me about it.

"Then what happened?"

"We decided to just go to your house instead and she immediately insisted on making us some drinks, which I didn't think too much of until I talked to her in the kitchen about what happened while she keeps downing martinis and it was a bit concerning now. I told her to slow down and she said she's fine but went on panic mode insisting she didn't hurt you and that I have to believe her and then she was out again. When I called her out she just looked at me and flinches in pain holding her head and she was out again. The second time I called her out she said she didn't hit you and she wasn't going to do anything and that made me stop and process that but I didn't had enough time because this time her headache got worse and that's when we decided to take her to a hospital." I take in a sharp breath taking in everything she just said. I knew she was having flashbacks but she said it was all about the accident, she didn't mention this.

"She didn't hurt me or laid a finger on me MK and that's the truth. What happened to that kitchen was as it is. It was the first time I had witnessed her in her worst state. The blood she was talking about wasn't mine, it was hers. She smashed the bottle on the sink and cut herself on the process because she couldn't find the bottle opener. She was out. I couldn't believe it was coming back to her."

"She never mentioned it to you?" She asks softly this time maybe trying to calm things now. I shake my head.

"And I couldn't understand why"

"I'm really sorry Liz, I tried to not think about it and bring it up but she was unsure herself and that made unsure too since she did punched Trent when she was in that state."  I didn't speak, I was too distracted with my thoughts running in my head. Why isn't she telling me these things. Was I too busy with everything, that I couldn't just ask her about it or just check up on her.

Ring!

I jumped out of my thoughts as the sound of my phone blares out inside of my bag so I sighed and got up going over to the couch and pulling my phone up.

Lesli

I answered.

'Hello?'

'Hi Lizzie, how are you? I heard you're sick or something.' I sighed, yup that's why I ditched the Emmys right.

'I'm fine Lesli, I'm good'

'Alright that's good to know, is Shannon with you may I ask? We're suppose to have a meeting in half an hour and she's still not here. I'm trying to reach her but her phone is dead.' I knew I would have to tell someone what was really happening, of course Shannon has work and its really going to affect it whether we like it or not.

'Uhm Lesli, I have to tell you something.'

'What is it?'

'Uhm—I'm not sick or anything but I'm in Saint Francis here in San Fransisco. Shannon had been in an accident—'

'What? Oh my God.' Her voice sounded shocked and concern and it was making the knot in my stomach tighten and the weight in my chest heavier. 'How is she? What happened?'

'Uhm—she's not good at the moment.'

'Alright then, maybe I'll visit tomorrow, see it for myself. Oh goodness, I'm sorry Lizzie.'

'Yea, I'll see you tomorrow, I guess.'

'Yes, I would be there.'

'Thank you Lesli' The phone call ends after we say our goodbye's. Lesli going here means something and even if its out of concern, I know work will be involved too and that's very nerve wracking since this project is somehow very important to Shannon and if somehow this won't push through, it would really take a toll on her. ————————Visiting hours are almost over and that means I have to leave her again and its just the worst and to top it off, this time, she's awake and still a bit groggy but its really hard to leave her like this.

"Hi" She smiles through her oxygen mask. "Can you just stay, please. I want to see you all the time."

"Well, honey I want that too but its your mom who is staying with you tonight."

"Why?" Her brows knit together and she flinches again raising her good hand to touch her stitches but I stopped her and just stroked the skin between her forehead gently just to relax her.

"Because she's your mom. Don't worry I'll be back before you know it." She tilts her head to the side and for some reason that did something to my heart. Those drugs are really doing something to her.

"But you're my girlfriend." She says before letting out a soft chuckle.

"Yes I am."

"And you should stay with me. I want to see you until I fall sleep and the moment I wake up." Alright, she's too sweet. Its making it harder for me to go. I was about to say something when the doors open and voices starts filling up the room. It's time to go.

"—She might be staying for a week or two to just let her cuts and bruises heal." I stood up while Shannon kept whining about me leaving and put on a smile as they come into view. The doctor sighed and looked at me with a smile as Deb nods her head.

"Leaving?" She asks and Shannon interrupted.

"No, she's staying." She moves her good hand again to touch her mask maybe to remove it or something but I stopped her and just fixed it for her instead. She then raised her hand again taking mine and tangling our fingers together making sure its locked and secure.

"Mom I love you but can she stay please."

"Oh my God." I mutter under my breath, how stubborn is she. Deb glances at me and for some reason I held my breath in but she just smiles and sighs.

"Alright then—"

"Deb, you don't have to—"

"No its alright honey. I know you want to stay and I really don't mind at all." Oh God, this just makes me feel so bad. "I could stay with her, while you get some things from the hotel, is that possible?" She turns to the doctor and the doctor agrees.

"Hmm, she's staying." Shannon grins and Debbie smiles. So I sigh in defeat and nod my head.

"You should go, I'll text Casey so I would have company back to the hotel." I looked at her grateful eyes, relief washes over me as I saw the sincerity in hers so I placed a soft kiss on Shannon's head and whisper, I'll be right back, before getting my bag from the couch, giving Debbie a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek and nodding to the doctor. Who am I kidding, I want to stay with her and I'm over the moon that I get to tonight.