A Series Of Letters {Adopted by Palaye Royale}

Chapter Five

We're all sat in some roadside dinner in the middle of nowhere in Michigan. We're all finished with our breakfast, and now I'm just leaning against Emerson, half-asleep. "Someone tired?" He asks as he runs his fingers through my hair. I groan, squeezing my eyes shut more. "Alright, considering it is like five a.m., why don't I take her to wash up and then back to the van. That sound okay?" I nod. 

Emerson picks me up and carries me to the back of the diner. When he sets me down in front of the bathroom, a weird pain rips through my stomach. I grab it, and Emerson cocks an eyebrow at me. "You okay?" I nod slowly. 

"My stomach feels funny," I mutter. 

"Okay, okay. Go wash up, I'll find something for your stomach." 

I shut the bathroom door, shifting on my two feet. I feel super weird. I don't even know how to explain it. I sigh in frustration, and decide that whatever medicine he gets me will help. 

Seconds later, I'm screaming. There's blood everywhere. All over my thighs, the toilet, the pair of Remington's boxer's he loaned me. I can't stop screaming and crying. I can hear pounding on the door, and  I barely register Sebastian's voice. I don't know what to do. My stomach hurts really bad. I'm dying. 

Okay, deep breaths. I take a few, and then I can think straight. I stand up, flush the toilet, and run to the door－which Sebastian is still pounding on.  I throw the door open and look at him, wide-eyed and panting. He cups my cheeks. "What? What's wrong?" 

"I'm dying," Tears start to fall from my eyes, and Sebastian wipes them away as they keep coming. 

"You're not dying. C'mon, let's go find the other dweebs and we'll sort this out, okay?" I nod. Sebastian puts an arm around me and leads me out the back to the van. 

"What happened?" Remington asks, pushing himself up off the van. "Lottie? What's wrong?"

"She says she's dying,"

"You're dying?" Remington laughs as he walks over to me and drapes his arms around my shoulders. "Why are you dying?" I stand on my tiptoes to reach his ear. 

"I'm bleeding," Remington takes in an uneasy, deep breath.

"Okay, you're not dying. Sebastian, text Stephanie and see if we can call her. Lottie, c'mon back here for a second." 

Remington keeps a protective arm tightly around me as he walks to the back of the van. I still tremble with my sobs. I'm scared. What's happening?

"Woah, what's going on?" Emerson asks as I run into his arms. He holds me close to him. "What's happening?"

"I'm dying," I cry. 

"You're not dying. She needs to talk to Stephanie."

"Breathe, Lottie," Emerson encourages, tilting my head up so I'm not inhaling the fabric of his clothes. "Deep breaths. You're not dying. I promise you're okay." 

^^^^^^^^^^

I shift around, trying to get comfortable with the bulky piece of fabric between my thighs. "My stomach hurts," I mumble as Emerson runs his hand through my hair. 

"I know, sweetheart, I'm sorry." I groan, tightening my arms around my stomach. "If I could make it stop hurting I would." 

I cuddle further into him. The seats in the back are fully reclined, and that's where we're laying, with seat belts on as Sebastian drives towards Nashville. I'm in Emerson's arms, and we aren't currently talking, just listening to the radio in the car－which is currently playing My Chemical Romance. I think that's what it's called; I don't know I had to ask like four times who sang the songs. 

"E-Emerson?" I ask. He hums and looks down at me. "I-I don't wanna have to go back to see Mom next week," 

"You're gonna be with us the whole time. Sebastian's already got the best lawyers lined up out of Buffalo. I'm not gonna let you out of my sight, and I will not let you go back to her."

"Emerson?" 

"Yes, angel?" I throw myself against him, hugging him tight. 

"I love you," I sob into his ear, body shaking with tremors. Emerson lets out a shaky breath on my shoulder. 

"Oh my God," He whispers. "I love you too, Lottie. I love you," 

We just stay like that, sat in each others arms, crying softly. He holds me close to him and I have my arms around his ribs. I don't know how long it is until I yawn. Then Emerson pulls back and asks Remington for the time. He just calls him a dickhead, so it's Sebastian that says it's roughly two a.m. 

"Can I sleep?"

"Yes, of course. You don't need to ask. Just let me get everything situated," I nod, moving up next to Remington, who's sat on his phone. He looks up for a second, meets my eyes, and smiles. 

"I'll be back there in a bit, okay?"I nod, reaching across to give him a hug. "Goodnight Sam, Dan. Goodnight, Sebastian," They all exchange their goodnights, and I climb into the back of the van again. Emerson has the sheet down, and nearly as soon as I hit the seats I'm asleep. Emerson pushes my hair back and kisses the top of my head. 

"Goodnight, Lottie. I love you,"