Chapter 73

Shannon's P.O.V."Alright, all settled." Dad says while he and Trent placed mom and dad's suitcases near the couch while Mom pushes me in a wheelchair further into the living room. I'm back in LA after two and a half weeks of being stuck in a hospital bed in San Francisco. I didn't even knew I was there until about a week after I woke up when Elizabeth was about to go back to LA with Rose.

After days of discussion, I've finally convinced mom, dad and my girlfriend of my decision to just stay here back at home rather than being stuck in Dallas again where I had my recovery from the car accident I've had years ago. Elizabeth refused the idea in the first place since Austin is miles away from LA compared to Dallas but then again I'll be doing some physical therapy at Cedars-Sinai hospital for the next 6 weeks so there's really not an option there, then I'm scheduled for an appointment with my doctor in Dallas in November, just a check up since my MRI turned out good.Fortunately, my mom and dad insisted that they will stay with me while Elizabeth is gone. This somehow eased her worries but she promised that when she has days off she would go home to me. I miss her though and it just had been four days since they started filming.

"You're all going to be okay here?" Trent asks and I nod. Things between me and Elizabeth's siblings have changed since Trent told me what actually happened that day. At first, I was confuse with all the information he just told me but then that confusion just turn into disappointment. Pure disappointment. I just can't believe they would think of me that way. I can't hurt Elizabeth physically and emotionally, maybe sometimes we hurt each others feelings but to lay a finger on her. I wouldn't do that. Robbie did, not me and he told me he found out about it, they all found out about it but they haven't spoken to Robbie. They told me I did, while I was out, but I couldn't remember any of it.

"Thanks for your help." I say and he gave me a small smile before walking towards me and placing a soft kiss on top of my head.

"Just call me, if you need anything okay?" I nod my head. He sighs and say his goodbye to my parents and with that he walked away and out the door.

"You know, they are sorry right?" Mom says after a few minutes of silence with just me staring at the front door. I sigh and roll myself away hearing my parents mutter to each other. I know I might be over reacting with all of this, but knowing these people who treated me as their own sister and vice versa would actually think of me that way really hit something in my chest, right on the perfect spot. Maybe in time, things would go back to normal, but not today or tomorrow or the next day, but some day. After all, they are still family.

I went out to our spot just to breathe in some fresh air. Actually, this is one of the reasons why, I just want to stay here. I get to live inside our storybook away from all the chaos of the world. I just want a time out from everything and even maybe from Elizabeth's world. Its really exhausting to be honest, to be the center of attention just because you come home on a wheelchair with paparazzi waiting for you at the airport. Good thing Jake and the team were there and they did a perfect job as always but other than that, I hate it every time that happens.

I'm tired really, exhausted. I don't know if its because of what happened that I'm suddenly feeling so hopeless, so low or maybe I'm just missing Elizabeth. Well, we were inseparable and three months of not being with each other daily is just hard, or maybe its something else. Maybe the fact this is all too familiar. The accident—

Blood, glass everywhere, angry horn, bright light.

then everything turns into

Crashing waves pulling me into the sea. Red mixing with blueness of the water.

Its messing with my head. Everything's messing with my head. Maybe I just need some rest, to calm my thoughts. Maybe that's just what I need. ————————-Ring!

I woke up by the sound of my phone ringing on the bedside table and caught a glance of the clock. 3:15 am it read, another ring catches my attention so with my good hand, I reached for my phone on the bedside table, wincing a little feeling some pain on my ribs. I let out a breath as soon as I got it and saw Elizabeth calling so I answered right away.

"Hello?"

'Hi honey.' Her voice soft and gentle and its making my heart race just hearing her. 'Did I wake you up?'

"It doesn't matter, is everything alright?" I hear movement on the other line and hear her sigh. It was making me nervous this time.

'I can't sleep that's all. I'm sorry to wake you.'

"Are you having nightmares?" She sighs again and even that I know she has and that worries me a lot especially that we're miles apart. "What are they about?"

'It doesn't matter—'

"It matters to me sweetheart, come on."

'Just you on that beach.' Again, she's been having nightmares recently and its all about the accident at the beach. Well, what she saw and what she told me was really traumatizing and I don't know how to make it all better.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't—"

"Yea" she whispers cutting me off. "I know, maybe I'll talk to Joan about it. What's important is that I found you and I'm talking to you right now. You're not here but its better that you're there at home. How are you?" Her voice has a hint of sadness to it that I'm not used to. Maybe because she barely calls me when she feels lonely because we're together all the time and it hurts to hear her like this.

"I'm fine, I think. Mom and Dad and taking good care of me but still I really miss you, our bed seems too big for one sweetheart" I let out a sad chuckle pulling her pillow closer to my chest inhaling her scent of flowers. I hear her chuckle too but sniffs after.

"I miss you, so much." a sudden pain shoots into my heart like an agitation to see her or be with her but even if I can book a flight to her now, I'm not actually stable enough to fly on my own. Maybe sometime we just have to stay apart under these circumstances. "Its harder than I thought. Well, I've manage to survive two years without you but there isn't a difference between that and three months apart honey."

"I know." I sighed. " Well, we only got 2 months, 3 weeks, 2 days 20 hours and 3 minutes left but who's counting." This actually made her giggle and I joined in lightening up the mood, my heart jumping out of my chest. I still love her laugh. Its music to my ears.

"So how was Austin and work obviously?" I say changing the subject. There's a lot of sad aura going on around us and I really don't need that tonight.

"Its good, we're filming the parts leading up to the affair and all, but set is good. The crew are very nice and precise. You're gonna love it here." I smiled, I'm glad she has some distraction from us being apart.

"How's the accent?"

"Well, I'm getting pretty good at it." She says in then sweetest southern accent she can do and this made me giggle.

"My Dad's going to love that accent of yours. Its the best one out of all of my exes even Cammie's"

"I never met her." She eventually says with and identifiable tone so I swallowed and say

"Who?"

"Cammie, she was mentioned a lot back then but I never got to meet her. But I've met Cari." My heart drop upon hearing that, she met who now? Cari, my ex girlfriend Cari, Fletcher? She met her? My brain starts calculating the possible time she might've mentioned it to me or a place where she might've seen her or event but nothing.

"H-How? What?"

"Right, you don't remember." She mutters and sighs "We were at a party, its Mark's birthday, you remember him right?"

"Yea" I whispered still intrigued on the topic. How is Mark anyway?

"Yea, we were dancing to Jess's set in the club and when that was done, it was announced that someone is surprising Mark for his birthday and it was her. She performed on stage that night but we went to the ladies room instead because you needed a minute—"

"Wait, are we dating already? Like—"

"Nope, but I kissed you that night."

"What!" My jaw dropped as I hear her giggling on the other line. Wait, wait this is fucking interesting. "Tell me more. What the actual fuck."

"Okay charming face hold up. In my defense, you are a real gentleman that night my love."

"Elizabeth" I whined.

"Alright alright. Now you're up." She giggles and I shake my head smiling to myself. "So I waited for you outside the ladies room before we went back to our table but then she's right there and you were a bit tensed but kept your arm around me." Damn old Shannon really had some guts being touchy with the Elizabeth Olsen right in front of Cari. It sucks, I don't fucking remember but this is so epic.

'I understood the assignment so I went with it and kept my arms around your waist making it clear that there is something going on between us, which is none at that moment.'

"Nothing?" I teased.

'Shan, nothing stop it.'

"Really?"

'Maybe just a little tad' I let out a giggle before hearing her yawn. Now she's sleepy and I'm fucking wide awake.

"Tired?" She hums in response as I hear movement. "Maybe you should get some rest sweetheart. Its been a long day and I'm guessing you still have work later on."

'But I still want to talk to you.'

"I know sweetheart, I do too and if it were different I could stay up all night talking to you and hearing your wonderful stories but you have to take some rest so you'll have some energy later" I really feel bad having to hang up too but she really needs some rest. Haven't got one for the last few weeks. She's quiet, too quiet. "Babe? still there?"

'I miss you.' Her voice cracked and it sends a huge lump to grow in my throat. 'I want to go home right now, this is way too hard.' She sniffs

"Hey baby, please don't cry. Think of this as a little bump in the road and oh, I'm going to Dallas after my six week- physical therapy here, maybe then I can visit you on set. Its going to be alright my love. Before you know it, i'll be there limping around on set working with you." She doesn't speak for a while but I can hear her heavy breaths on the other line.

'I'm sorry this happened to you—'

"Elizabeth." I sighed. "Its not your fault, its no one's fault okay—"

'But its not supposed to happen to you right, if my brother and sister just talked to me about it then maybe it didn't happen after all.' I wish I could say something to interject that but I got nothing, maybe because I agree to it, in any side of it. Now my thoughts goes to my current relationship with her siblings. Its just feels different, it made me feel like whatever I do, there would always be something that will made them think that I'm unstable and maybe a danger to Elizabeth when I'm in that state, and that doesn't really feel good thinking about it, made me feel less worthy for her.

"Let's not think about that right now baby. I'm fine sweetheart, really. You can always watch me through the security cameras as long as you want, and I might even be saying hi to one of them." She yawns and moves again.

'I would love to see that.'

"I'd do it every morning. I promise." I smiled. "Go on, go to sleep. I won't hang up until I'm sure you're really asleep." She hums in response and sighs.

'I love you so much honey, I'll see you tomorrow.' I let out a sad chuckle and whispers.

"I love you too sweetheart, so much. Take some rest, I'll be with you through the night." I stayed in the line just hearing her breathing slow down and that when I knew she had fallen asleep, but I can't sleep anymore. My thoughts running wild in my head getting tangled up with each other. I might sound alright talking to her but the truth is, I'm so lost right now. I keep things happening right in front of my eyes like in a fast moving pace and I'm just stuck. I need to get this out of my head and focus on getting better so I can be with Elizabeth because as of the moment, she's the only one I'm holding on to.—————Lizzie's P.O.V."I don't know what we're going to do to make it up to Shannon Lizzie. We miss her and she's been distant from us since Trent told her what happened. Trent is always visiting her and talking to her but he can tell something did changed." The twins have been bothering me these past few weeks about Shannon. A whole month had passed since the accident and maybe their guilt is slowly eating them alive, I don't want to think that they deserve it but I don't really think they don't.

"Well, with what that has led to, if I were Shannon, I'd feel rather offended and disappointed with you guys to be honest and it even led to this. I really can't blame her." I sighed. We're currently on our lunch break and I sit here on the phone with my sisters when I should be talking to my girlfriend instead or just maybe going over my lines since we're shooting long monologues today, but no, I'm stuck dealing with what they've started right now.

"We know Lizzie, we were stupid yo even accused her of something she clearly couldn't do, but we have our reasons to react that way but apparently to the wrong person and don't you think we haven't forgot how you kept this thing from us for a very long—"

"Hey, don't put this one on me. You could've asked me instead of putting pressure on my girlfriend who is not in the fucking right state of mind and you're aware of it. Now what did that get her to?" I hissed. I'm still mad about what happened and I dream about it every night. I understand that they are my siblings and they are overprotective of me but they should've thought about everything before lashing out.

"Hey, its Ashley." I let out a frustrated sigh hearing her voice. "I'm sorry about MK, she's just been stressing about this for too long, we all are." Her voice is calm and soft and that's what I love about Ashley. She's calmer than Mary Kate but when it comes to us against other people she could be more aggressive than her. "We miss Shannon, a lot. Even Jake and Court couldn't speak to her, we just want things to go back to the way it was before."

"Look, just give her time. Shannon's hurt, this isn't a small thing that we could get over the next day. You need to understand that she had to sacrifice things because of what had happened. She's suppose to be here, with me, working on this project which is kind of a really big deal for her but then she's not. She's stuck in LA trying to get better to recover from that trauma. Even I can't talk to her sometimes." Its true, there are times she would make excuses to delay our phone calls even though I can see her through the security cameras just sitting on her wheelchair staring out at the balcony of our room. I tried to give her space just not to push her to the edge. Its hard, so hard but I need to be strong for her, for us. I won't let us fall apart again.

"I understand." She sighs. "Don't worry, I'll talk to MK about it. I'm really sorry Lizzie, we're just that desperate. We're not used to this."

"Yea" I whispered thoughts running wild in my head. "I'm not used to it either, but we just have to deal with it."

"Yea. Anyway, I need to go and talk to her. We'll see you soon okay, maybe next week if work will allow us."

"Alright then, Shannon will be in Dallas next weekfor her check up so I would surely be there with her."

"Okay, I'll text you." With that's been said, the phone call drops leaving me quite bothered. I try to not think about it too much but to be honest, I'm really worried of how things are with Shannon and it scares me to think that because just with the thought tells me that something isn't really right with everything. Maybe a little bit more time would fix it, but I'm not sure how long and it would take a lot of patience to deal with it. I just hope everything still has a chance to get everything back to the way it was, bring back Shannon to us, to me, again.