The Therapist's Son // Ashton Irwin [AU] ✔

27.

A/N: This chapter is in Ashton's POV and has a MEGA plot twist. I have been planning this since the very first day I came up with the story idea, so I'm really excited for you guys to read it.

Also, TTS will be done in about a month or so, I'll post an author's note later with four new story ideas that you guys can vote on since I can't chose what to write next.

Here you go!

*****

Ashton's Point Of View.

I couldn't tell her. I was too much of a wimp.

Michael had made it clear that if I didn't tell Natalie about what happened, he would. I was just so terrified of what she would say, what she would do. I did love her, that wasn't a lie. She was one of the only good things in my life, I couldn't let her get away from me.

But she was going to find out about what happened.

"You didn't sleep very much on the plane," My mother said in the front seat of the rental car. I could only assume she was talking to my dad, but my eyes remained closed. I was exhausted, even my eyelids felt like a ton of bricks. "Do you want to pull over and switch places so I can drive?"

"No," My father responded. He sounded tired. We were the only two that didn't sleep on the plane, too busy planning out our trip to California. We'd only be staying for a week, we had so much to do in so little time. We needed to stay on schedule. "The hotel isn't very far, we'll be fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Just relax. This is a stress-free vacation. Plus, its one in the morning. No one is out on this road." He had only said that this would be a stress-free vacation fifty times in the past month.

I sat behind my mom, my siblings, Lauren and Harry, sleeping in the middle seat and the seat behind my dad.

The next few minutes were silent, and I could feel myself slowly drifting off to sleep. No one said a word, everyone was either asleep or lost in thought. We hadn't been able to agree on a radio station when we got the car, so there was currently no music playing either.

It was pitch black outside, but I knew if I had looked at the sky, the stars would have been unbelievably bright.

Then, out of nowhere, a set of headlights were right in front of us, and I heard Mom yell Dad's name, trying to alert him, to signal him to swerve, or slam the brakes or something...Anything!

But it was too late.

I don't remember being pulled out of the car by medics soon after, I don't even know who called.. I had a gash on my forehead from hitting my head so hard against the window on impact, and I would need stiches later, but that was the least of my worries. I don't remember being asked many questions. I remember the pounding in my head and the aching in my right side, and asking where my Mom and Dad were, and my brother and sister.

They told me my little brother wasn't responsive at all. They were going to take him to the hospital fjrst. He had a chance, one paramedic in specific told me, all we could do was hope. And although Lauren was somewhat responsive, they said she had a lot more injuries than I did, because she's smaller than me, and I guess they were pretty serious.

"M-My mom?" I asked, not sure if I had chills from fear and anxiety or the late-night California weather.

"She's okay. She was wearing a seatbelt and the airbag practically saved her life. She might have a fracture or two, but nothing too bad. She'll be fine."

"And Dad?" I wet my lips with my tongue, a nervous habit I had at the time. This trip was Dad's idea for a family getaway. If he didn't make it, I don't know what I'd do.

The paramedic was silent, not responding. My stomach dropped, and I suddenly had a lump in my throat. I had a feeling his silence was my answer.

"He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, son." He finally told me. Later, I found out from the doctor he had been killed on impact, unlike my brother and sister, who were able to make it to the hospital, but we lost them within the next 48 hours. First Harry, and then Lauren. They were too weak and to young to make it.

"W-What about the other people?" I asked, remembering the other car. Either Dad was driving on the wrong side of the road, or they were. But it was a head-on collision. Someone made a serious, lethal mistake!

"One of the girls is unresponsive because she had her seatbelt off, too. The other one kept muttering something about pulling over. She's pretty young, only has a learner's permit. We assume she meant to pull over, but went to the wrong side of the road. Since the collision happened on a curve, though, we're not sure. She could just be delirious," He said. "But I'm sure she'll be okay."

I guess it's a pretty small world, because five and a half months later, I'm dating the girl with the learner's permit who was driving in the wrong lane. I couldn't be mad at her. It was an accident. And I didnt even know until I stumbled across a newspaper clipping with the exact date and location while she was in the bathroom that day after I took her driving.

I couldn't tell her what happened, either. I was terrified she'd leave me.

I had no choice but to stay silent and hope that Michael didn't get her alone.