I don't care

Part 18

"Christine?" Stevie said into the phone when someone answered.

"Stevie honey is that you?" Christine asked as she heard her soft voice sounding incredibly raspy as it always did when she was tired.

"Yes." Stevie managed to whisper before she burst into tears at the sound of Christine's voice.

"Stevie? Talk to me. What is it darling?" Christine asked worriedly as she heard Stevie's sobs.
"Come on darling, it can't be that bad," Christine tried to soothe.

"Oh but it is." Stevie cried out and recounted the events of past few days to a speechless Christine, leaving out no details. Stevie told her everything except about her affair with Lindsey. That could wait.

"Jesus Christ," Christine gasped when Stevie had finished. "What are you going to do?"

"The only thing i can do. Take care of my little girl." Stevie answered.

"Stevie..." Christine said hesitantly, throughout everything she said Christine could feel how attached she'd already gotten to Leelee. How much she loved her and felt that none of it was Leelee's fault.
"I know she's been through so much, but you need to be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

"She needs me Christine. I never told you this, but when she was little, her and Will, I-I was really involved in their lives. They used to sleepover at my house, Lindsey and i would take them places together, Leelee would fall asleep on my lap in the car and sometimes she'd wake up and look at me with this just, innocent look in her eyes and she'd whisper 'I love you Stevie' and she'd smile and lay her little head on my chest. I love her so much Chris, i don't care about being careful. No one was careful with her. You know what she said to me when i found her at that club 'how come we don't see you anymore?' I let Lindsey lie to me and accepted everything he said, that they were busy, they didn't want to come see me, there wasn't a good time for me to visit. She told me he wouldn't let her call me, or come and see me. I'll never forgive him for any of this Christine. I'm not letting him hurt her again. She doesn't deserve any of this. She was the sweetest little girl and look what they've done to her." Stevie had silent tears streaming down her face again and Christine knew it was too late.

She had a suspicion that Stevie and Lindsey were more complicated than they told even the band and now she knew. Christine couldn't blame Stevie for not telling her that they were involved or having an affair or whatever it was, but she realised now that it went far deeper than just an affair and she was extremely concerned about her best friend. The amount of things Stevie had found out, had to deal with just that week, she was far more emotionally sensitive than most people and she was clearly struggling with this.

"Oh Stevie." Christine sighed softly. "Is there anything i can do sweetheart? Do you want me to fly back? I could help you?"

"No. I love you for asking, but no. I'll be fine, i just needed to tell someone. To tell you. You always know what to do." Stevie said gratefully.

"Well you keep calling me, keep me updated. Any time you need to talk darling. Give Leelee a kiss for me. Give her my love. I love you too Stevie, you're amazing, really." Christine said and it made Stevie smile more than she had in the last few days.

"I love you too Chris. I'll call tomorrow. Goodnight." Stevie said.

"Goodnight darling." Christine hung up the phone and Stevie sighed, taking off her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose tiredly.

She was sat in Leelee's hospital room, listening to her moan in her sleep from the pain of detoxing. Stevie didn't think she'd sleep much longer before the pain woke her up. Leelee was bathed in sweat and her hair was matting. She couldn't stand up long enough to take a shower however. Stevie hated seeing her in pain. She knew what it felt like to detox and she wouldn't wish it on anyone. Well maybe Lindsey right now.

"No. No. My baby. My baby. No." Leelee moaned desperately in her sleep and Stevie went to her bedside trying to make out what she was saying but all she heard was another gasp of "My baby." Before Leelee let out a deafening scream.

"AHHH!" she rolled over in agony and grabbed at her leg that was clearly spasming. She was breathing heavily from her nightmare and the pain combined. Where am i? Did they do it? Is it too late? were her immediate thoughts as she came around.

"It's okay baby." Stevie said getting up and going to her bed instantly.

"Stevie," Leelee cried as she writhed around, trying to squeeze her leg tight enough to constrict the blood flow and stop the pain.

"It hurts so much..." Leelee moaned and her tears flowed as she clenched her teeth and breathed heavily.

"I know. I know." Stevie said starting to massage her leg and Leelee felt relief for a second before the pain shifted to her back.

"Stevie get in with me." Leelee pleaded. She hated being in the hospital bed alone. It made her recall memories she couldn't bare. Stevie did as she asked, taking her into her arms as Leelee buried her face deep into Stevie's neck and tried to focus on her breathing. Fuck this hurt. She was sweating and her whole body ached.

"You're doing so great Lee," Stevie whispered in encouragement as she grappled a shooting pain in her stomach and gripped Stevie tighter, screaming and crying against her skin.

"Sing to me." Leelee gasped. She needed something to take her mind off it.

"What do you want me to sing baby?" Stevie asked.

"Landslide." Leelee released her slightly but not much and lay back a little so Stevie would be able to breathe.

I took my love and took it down
I climbed a mountain and i turned around
And i saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can i sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can i handle the seasons of my life?

Leelee focused on Stevie's voice and she felt better for a moment. She grabbed Stevie's hand tightly and held it to her chest not letting go even when she eventually fell asleep, as Stevie sang song after song to her.

Stevie kissed her forehead and stroked her hair as she'd been doing constantly throughout the day to calm Leelee down. Leelee sank into her nightmare once again as she had every time she fell asleep, knowing she was in the hospital. And this time Stevie heard it clearly when she moaned the three words that Stevie never wanted to hear from her lips.
"Not my baby."