Please Don't Leave Me {Carisi}

Chapter 1

      "Hey, Bree," A ringing in my ears awoken me from a deep slumber, "I... I know you're still in there." It took me a second to place to voice, but I had recognized it as my father. I tried my open my eyes, but they refused to open.

Fear had rushed over me, why couldn't I move? Was I paralyzed? Dead? All I could see was black void, and feel nothing but a growing and humming pain in my facial area and left arm.

"The doctors said you can hear me, and... I'm, I'm..." My father's voice broke up and there was a faint sound of someone crying. It seemed to echo somberly throughout my brain, "I'm so sorry, Bree. This was my fault."

I felt his rough hand tightly clench my calmy hand, and more sobbing continued. It was like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from. Why couldn't I move? I attempted to remember something, anything, but the only thing that came to my head was a fist flying at my face and the same bright blue eyes that I couldn't seem to stop thinking about.

"But, they, uh, said you're gonna recover," My dad sniffled, "And then we can get you home, my baby girl." His sad voice had struck me on a deep, personal level. I was obliged to wake up and tell him everything was going to be okay. But through wishing and attempting to wake up, it just didn't happen.

The hospital room went quiet, the silence screaming in my ears like a train. I would've done just about anything to get that noise out of my head, but I couldn't even lift a finger...

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Had it been days, or weeks? Time seemed so invaluable where my mind was. Physically, I was in a coma. Mentally, I was in a much worse place.

I kept drifting, it felt like, through being conscious if someone's talking, and horrible nightmares. It was a painful memory that had kept surfacing, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never keep it down.

"Bree, happy tenth birthday!" Dad cheered, carrying in a fresh pink cupcake with a candle lit on top.

My eyes wandered to the two neatly wrapped gifts sitting on the dining table in front of me. One was labeled "From: Dad" and the other was labeled "From: Mom", but they both read in the same handwriting... my dad's handwriting.

"Daddy, where's Mommy?" I asked curiously, with a hint of sadness. Dad must've picked up on the tone in my voice, reassuringly taking a knee next to me and setting the cupcake on .

"Awe, honey," He lightly pinched my soft cheek between his rough thumb and index finger, "Where's that beautiful smile?"

Dad attempted to smile, but even I could see the pain and tension behind his eyes.

"Where's Mommy?" I repeated, lowering my eyes to the ground.

I was a stubborn child, as much as I hated to admit. But I was also curious, and nosy.

"She's... on a vacation, baby." Dad had raised back up to his full height, his arms folded tightly to his chest.

"Why can't I go with her?" The thought of the Bahamas or Florida was amazing to me and I've always wanted to fly.

Dad opened his mouth to speak, but within his pocket, his device began to ding. With a pained, yet somehow relieved, look in his eyes, he slowly answered the phone. He slipped into the other room, and left me alone, to watch the flames of the single birthday candle flicker. The wax from the candle had melted and oozed onto the pink frosting of the cupcake.

I sighed, inhaling a little bit of air and giving a quick huff, blowing the candle out. The smoke smoldered and the strong smell had twisted into my nose, causing me to wrinkle it in grimace.

I heard Dad say, "Alright, I'll be there soon." It had caused my heart to sink like a lead ball to the bottom of the ocean. I slowly looked up to my father who had just stepped into the room. He put his phone away, and gave a lopsided smile.

"They need me at the station, Bree." Dad seemed to search for an explanation, but no good reason could ever excuse him from his daughter's tenth birthday party. He had opened his mouth to reply, but no words could tell how sorry he was.

I watched him grab his keys off the kitchen counter, "Your Aunt will be over in a few minutes to watch you sweetheart. I love you." He called as the door slammed behind him.

Aunt Penny. I had despised her since the first day I met the old hag, a traditional lit cigarette always hanging out of those lips that were drowned in cherry red lipstick, and a tongue sharper than any knife. She always found a way to hate on my struggling mom, my weakened dad, and especially me; 'the mistake between two mistakes'.....

"...But your mother is out of rehab, honey, and she's going to be here today to say hi. She's been doing good... but I'll let her tell you the details."

My dad's hopeful voice had shaken the nightmare away before it got to the worst part.

I tried to open my eyes, but my body didn't really want to respond to my brain...

"Bree?"

I felt my dad's grip get tighter around my hand, and him getting up from his chair. There was surprise and excitement in his voice.

Did I move my hand? Maybe I did... maybe I'm a step closer getting out of this dark nightmare...

A rushing wave of fatigue rushed over me, and though I fought against it, my consciousness slipped into the hungry black void.