Torn Halfway Apart (Book 2)

Chapter 1: The D Word

Jimmy's POV:

3 months have passed since the incident involving Rachel's Death, and the rescue of Haley from John Carswell, Jimmy and Haley's father. 3 long hard months for both Carswell twins.

"I am not taking those fucking meds. I get so doped up I don't remember anything." I say as I refuse to get another needle jabbed into my stomach. "Plus why the fuck doesn't it go in my arm like normal morphine, that's where I got shot!" I keep avoiding the needle as Haley and Chloe walk in. I haven't seen either in a while, but Chloes hair is just as blue as ever but a little bit longer. Haley's is still the same, pink and in a pony tail. My sister is everything to me. I keep refusing until Max finally kisses me to get my attention from the needle and as the doctor injects the needle I scream like a little sissy. "I fucking hate doctors and needles goddammit." I start rubbing my stomach where he injected me. I've been able to eat solid foods for a week now, so I shouldn't need anymore goddamn medicine.

Chloe and Haley both exchange awkward glances, "Jimmy, did Max just kiss you?" I didn't even realize what happened before I got that shot. "I don't even know, I just know It feels like I got stabbed by a super bee on steroids." Chloe cracks a smile at that and Haley sighs and shakes her head.

"Jimmy, for real though the more you take them the sooner you can get out of here." Haley says walking into the room and sitting on the couch. "I'm worried about you bubby. In my session today our instructor told me it would be a good idea to come see you." She smiles as she looks at me.

"I'm glad you did Hale. Hey watch this." I swing my legs slowly over the bed and put my feet on the floor. I take one step, wobbly but a step, and then another and another until I walk to the door slowly. Haley and Chloe both cover their mouths with their hands. "Hehe yeah I can walk now!" I look down and then I start crying... Rachel.... I feel woozy as I make my way back to the bed. My heart monitor starts beating faster and faster as I hit the bed. I don't remember anything after that.

Haley's POV:

"Jimmy? What's wrong?" Max runs up to the call button and pushes it. A nurse comes in a moment later, not bad looking though. I may or may not have checked her ass out but, that's besides the point. She looks at Jimmy and checks his pulse and then fills a needle with something and injects it into his wrist. Within seconds his heartbeat goes back to normal and everything goes back to green.

"Guys, he keeps thinking about Rachel.... I did kiss him, it's the only thing that seems to get his mind off of anything." Max says as she looks down. "We need to address this when he wakes up. I know it was just a few short months ago but we still need to have him accept the fact that she's gone and that it wasn't his fault."

"Good luck with that Mad Max, it took us forever to convince him it wasn't his fault Haley got taken. How are we going to get it into his massive skull that it wasn't his fault Rachel died either. I mean fuck, she was my best goddamn friend and even I feel partly responsible." She gets up and walks out of the room.

Oh dear..

"Babe?" I say as I approach her.

"Leave me alone Haley, I need to be alone right now.... I'm sorry." She gets in the elevator and I let her go.

Chloe, I'm sorry I'm not Rachel. I can't be as perfect, or as cool or as anything as her. But I'm fucking trying....

I still get so fucking irritated at the thought of Chloe missing Rachel as more than a friend... she'll never admit it but I know she misses her more than a friend. I walk back to Jimmys room as he's waking up. "Jimmy? We need to have a serious talk, the three of us. Chloe is out doing Chloe things-"

"That's dangerous, why would you let her do Chloe things alone?" He laughs as me and Max keep our faces serious. "Well shit, you both normally laugh at my jokes so this must be pretty important, shoot... I mean talk about it..." He looks down because he can't even say the word or even look at a gun the same way again.

"Max, Chloe, and I, need to talk to you about this. It's about Rachels death."

"Haley, shut the fuck up okay? I know she's fucking 'dead' and it's my fucking fault. If I would have made her go with you guys or even left her at home. She'd still be alive. I'm so goddamn stupid so please, drop it."

"James Craig Carswell, you listen and you listen good, it is not your fault she's dead. If you would have had her go with us, what happened to me, could have just as easily happened to her. Would you have wanted that? Of course not. It's not your fault, it's Dads, just like it's his fault I can't even look at another man besides you without crying and having those horrible flashbacks. Jimmy, it isn't your fault okay? Rachel gave her life to save yours."

"I didn't deserve to be saved, I should be dead. I should be 6 feet under right now and burning in hell. I've done so many terrible things I didn't deserve a second chance. And this last time? That was a big fucking chance I should have stayed dead." I smack him across his face.

"Don't EVER talk that way again, you are my only family now besides Mom, and she doesn't even know yet. She has no idea you almost died and I got sexually assaulted by our father. She doesn't know anything and I plan to keep it that way." I hug him tight. "But I'm so fucking glad I have you still. I lost it when they lost you at first. I cried for days."

"She did, trust me. It took me and Chloe both several trips to taco bell to get her to calm down." Max says as I shoot her a look. "Jimmy, what Haley is saying is that you have to let Rachel go. Let her be as free as a bird and let her soar and ascend." I look at Jimmy and see he's thinking about something.

"You guys are right, I do need to let her go. I love you guys a lot." He pulls me qnd Max into a hug and chloe clears her throat.

"What about Chloe? Chloe wants in on this hug."

"And chloe," Jimmy says as she joins in. "Oh god I'm doped up. It looks like Max's head is bobbing up and down and Chloe... your blue hair actually looks like an ocean. Haley, your hair looks like the fires of Hell and your face looks like Satan's asshole." We all laugh, he gets a pass because yea, these drugs make him higher than a kite. We break from the group hug as Chloe grabs Max and leads her out of the room.

"Haley, I'm truly deeply sorry about what happened I should have been quicker, and stronger...." I hug him as tears come to my eyes.

"Jimmy thank you so much, you saved me a lifetime of misery and torture. If you didn't show up when you did I would have been way worse than I was. You are my guardian Angel and my brother. I could never replace you even if I tried..... I love you." He weakly hugs me back.

"I love you too Haley, please don't get kidnapped again, I'd hate to take another beating for you, but shit. I'd do it over again in a heartbeat." That brings more tears to my eyes. My own brother sacrificed his life for me and Max and Chloe.... and he would do it all over again if it meant saving me. I truly have the most amazing and wonderful brother ever.